So Close
by fabfan
Summary: Sequel to French Connection. There is a crazed stalker after Bianca and her family. The FBI is doing their best to catch the killer and protect the small family. Oh...and Frankie Stone is alive. NOW COMPLETE!
1. Prologue

Title: So Close

Pairing: Frankie/Bianca, Bianca/Reese, Bianca/Maggie (past), Maggie/Other  
Rating: R  
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters  
Spoilers: All of Bianca's story/life. All they way up through her last appearance on AMC.  
Summary: There is a crazed stalker after Bianca and her family. The FBI is doing their best to catch the killer and protect the small family. Oh...and Frankie's alive.

Note: This is the sequel to French Connection. It really helps if you have read this short story first. Feedback is always appreciated, and helps keep me motivated to update this story.

* * *

The room was dark as midnight, the only light coming from the square computer screen. The white glow illuminated the small desk it was perched on. It was empty, the wood only covered by the black laptop. No noise penetrated the still air. It was as if the room was in a vacuum, sealed off from the outside world. All that existed was the bright computer, a brilliant beacon floating within the oppressing and foreboding darkness.

A gloved hand reached out of the inky blackness, fingers resting gently on the keyboard. They slowly caressed the keys, gliding smoothly from one to the next. The leather of the black glove inhibited the typist from feeling the soft plastic. Finally, after a few seconds, the hand stopped. Taking up position on the keyboard, words began to appear on the screen as the fingers pressed down on the buttons.

* * *

"Hey baby." purred Reese as she watched her wife walk into the bedroom. She leaned back against the soft feather pillows, her eyes taking in every movement the brunette made.

"Hi. The kids are in bed. The Au-Pair said they were out half-way through the first story." Bianca walked further into the room after closing the door behind her. She moved over to her side of the bed and sat down on the edge. Lifting a pale hand, she clasped the thin gold chain around her neck and fiddled with the release. The rustling of sheets reached her ears as she felt the bed dip down behind her. Cold hands grazed the back of her neck as they slipped around the chain.

"You're hands are cold." said Bianca as deft fingers unclasped the necklace. The hands moved forward as arms came to rest on her shoulders, the gold chain dangling in front of her.

"Mmmm, maybe you should warm them up." Reese's husky voice blew in her ear, causing a shiver to run down her body.

She swallowed thickly as the arms wrapped around her, her eyes catching the shimmer of the jewelry as it fell to the floor. The cold hands sought purchase as equally cold lips attached themselves to the back of her neck. Sharp teeth nipped at the sensitive flesh, causing Bianca's eyes to close with a gasp.

* * *

The gloved hand moved fiercely over the keys, its partner joining in to help keep the flow. The pounding of small plastic buttons broke the eery silence of the room. The white blankness that had previously filled the screen was now covered with small black letters melding together to produce words and phrases.

The hands stilled momentarily. The fingers flexed, forming and un-forming fists. The tension in them decreased slightly, the urgency and speed of the typing pushing them past comfort.

A few seconds later the fingers resumed their fast-paced endeavor.

* * *

Bianca moaned as the shirt was ripped from her body, cold air meeting heated flesh.

She was on her knees in the middle of the bed, sheets and pillows scattered around her. Her thighs trembled as her wife's hands reached out from behind, skimming up her sides and around to roughly cup heaving breasts. Palms pushed in hard as fingers squeezed the firmness.

"You like this, don't you Bianca." Reese grunted into her ear, her body pressing closer against the panting woman before her. With another squeeze she sunk her teeth into unsuspecting flesh, bruising the skin of the delicate nape.

* * *

The printer sprung to life, blinking and beeping as the rigid white paper was sucked up into the machine. The banging of moving ink cartridges whirled about as the paper slowly escaped from the black opening, the once pure white now overcome by black sentences. A gloved hand reached out to snatch the paper from its confines. It held the paper up, allowing eyes to scan the finished product.

With a flick of the wrist, the author moved over to the wooden desk. A hand reached out to open the top drawer and carefully removed an envelope and stamp. The paper was laid flat against the hard surface and smoothed over. Any and all possible wrinkles were to be removed. Once the paper was sufficiently straight, the gloved hands stealthily folded, forming necessary creases in the white and black instrument. Then, it was shoved into the envelope.

The self-adhesive seal was pressed down and the envelope turned over. The address for Pine Valley, Pennsylvania stared back at the writer.

* * *

"Oh...I missed you so much." Reese panted as she trailed kisses up the flawless back.

Her hand landed on a quivering thigh and massaged the twitching muscle beneath. It teasingly moved upward, ghosting along searing skin. Bianca's breath hitched as the hand reached its destination, knuckles grazing over slick wetness.

"I love you. I'm going to make you feel so alive."

Bianca's eyes snapped open and her body froze.

Make you feel so alive.

Feel so alive.

So alive.

Alive.

"_Frankie...you're alive!"_

"_Yeah. Pretty cool, huh?"_

"Bianca, what are you doing?" Reese's voice caused the brunette to jump out of the memories.

Bianca blinked. Her hand had unconsciously gripped the other woman's, preventing her from doing anything.

"I-I don't know...can we just...can we just sleep? My head hurts." Bianca released her hold to run her hand across her brow. Without waiting for a reply, she crawled to her side of the bed and laid down. She curled up on her side and looked out the open window with unseeing eyes. Her wife's side touched her back as the woman joined her a few minutes later with a sigh.

Bianca shivered as a cold wind blew through the window.

* * *

The author reverently held the envelope in their gloved hands. They walked across the room, intent on delivering their message. One hand reached out to open the door, and a flash of light flooded the interior. For a brief moment, the inside of the room was revealed before the author closed the door behind them and walked off.

The newspaper covered walls were once again shrouded in darkness


	2. Chapter 1

Paris was beautiful this time of year. Well...it was always beautiful...but this time of year was perfect. Summer was turning into autumn, causing the tree leaves to turn into wonderful colors and the crisp air to gently wrap itself around strolling Parisians like a comfortable lover. Couples walked among hidden streets and passageways, holding each other close and whispering through smiles. Children laughed and skipped along grassy knolls, their parents watching lovingly from patient park benches.

Bianca ignored all of this.

Usually she would be striving to finish her work as quickly as possible, wanting nothing more than to take her children to the park and watch them, while huddled against Reese. But not today.

The tall brunette turned from the window and pressed a button off to the side, automatically closing the blinds and silencing the sun that was bathing her rather large and expensive office. With an agitated sigh she walked over to her desk and lowered her body into the dark leather chair. A pale hand ran across her face and through her long locks, unsuccessfully attempting to wipe away the stress and confusion.

A crazed stalker was threatening her mother in Pine Valley. He had sent letter after letter, taunting and threatening her with each word and phrase spread across the plain paper. Then, he had changed tactics. He stepped up his game. No longer was he just taunting Erica Kane through simple letters. No...he decided to bring her family into this...her precious daughter. When the first letter threatening Bianca and her family arrived in Erica's hands, the FBI immediately became a part of her life. Security details were everywhere, following the young mother and her family to everything. At first they had been discreet, blending into the background. Not anymore. As the letters got more and more violent, the agents became more and more visible. It was like the Satin Slayer all over again.

Except this time Reese and her children were involved.

The FBI was involved.

Fra...Fran...god damn it _she_ was involved!

Bianca angrily slammed her hand down on the desk, causing pens and paper to fly everywhere. She rested her elbow on the polished wood surface, cradling her head on an open palm.

She. Frankie Stone. Agent...Frankie Stone. How could this be happening? How...Why...Who did she think she was...just waltzing back into Bianca's life like nothing had happened. Like she hadn't _died_! Like Bianca hadn't mourned her and watched as they lowered her casket into the cold hard ground. There was a grave, for crying out loud! A grave and a tombstone and everything!

Bianca rubbed at her eyes, blinking back the sting of tears. No..she wasn't going to do this. She wasn't going to waste one tear on Mary-Francis Stone. Not one. She did enough of that when she was seventeen.

But Frankie was alive. She was alive and somewhere in Paris. She had to be. They had taken the same train. She was assigned to protect her. The FBI was everywhere in the godforsaken city...she had to be too.

Three days.

It had been three days since that fateful train ride from London to Paris. Three days since she had seen those mischievous eyes and that impish grin. That face...that face that looked so much like Maggie's.

Maggie.

Did Maggie know her sister was alive? No...she couldn't have. She would have said something. Bianca hadn't spoken to her in years, but she knew the other Stone girl would have mentioned it. She would have gotten word to Bianca.

So, Maggie didn't know. Didn't know that her sister...the girl she had first come to Pine Valley for...was alive. Her twin sister.

"Bianca, are you ok? What's wrong?" a concerned voice broke through the hazy cloud of confusion in Bianca's mind.

She looked up to see Reese standing in front of her desk, a worried look plastered across her face.

"W-What are you doing here?" questioned Bianca as she subtly wiped at her wet eyes.

"I was on my way to work, and I decided to stop by and see you. I was going to see if you wanted to get lunch together later. I knocked on the door and called your name, but you just sat here. What's wrong?" explained the architect as she reached out a hand to caress the worn face before her.

"What's wrong? My family is being threatened by some crazy stalker!" shot out Bianca as she pushed her chair back, out of reach of the offered hand.

Reese watched as she jerkily stood up, tension surrounding the angry woman. "I know that. But everything will be okay. We have guards. They'll protect us. I won't let anything happen to you or our daughters."

"How can you be so sure? It's been weeks since mom's been getting these letters, and no one knows who it is. It's like the Satin Slayer...and he killed people, Reese! He killed people." Bianca raised her voice, a tinge of emotion showing through.

"Baby...nothing is going to happen to us. We're safe." Reese watched as her wife gripped the back of her chair, fingers digging into the cool leather.

"Did...did something happen in London?"

"What? No...besides the fact that all of a sudden I had FBI agents swarming around me, Miranda, and Gabby."

"Are you sure?" Reese ventured, trying to capture brown eyes with her own.

Bianca's head shot up, eyes meeting the other woman's, "Of course I'm sure. Why?"

Reese shrugged, feeling the tension in the room skyrocket, "It's just...you've been distant since you got back. You're always thinking...always in your head. Since you returned we haven't..."

"Haven't what, Reese? Haven't had sex? Is that what this is about? My family is in danger, and all you care about is getting off!"

"Whoa...whoa...that's not what this is about at all." backtracked Reese, "I'm worried. I love you."

The sound of Beethoven's ninth symphony interrupted her, and she quickly began to rummage in her purse. She pulled out her cellphone and glanced at the incoming name.

"Work calls. You should go." Bianca walked over to the small bar at the side of the room, her back facing the architect.

Reese sighed as she watched the dark haired woman open a bottle of scotch. "We still need to talk about what's happening. I'll see you at home. I love you."

"I love you, too." quietly replied Bianca as she heard the door to her office close.

She grasped at a thick glass, pouring some of the potent liquor into the cup. She replaced the cap on the bottle and pushed it back. It came to rest between a bottle of brandy and whiskey, a soft clink signaling it's arrival.

Bianca glanced down at the drink. She rotated her wrist, watching the liquid swirl around, drops bumping against the sides of the glass.

What was she going to do? What was she supposed to do? She was so confused. Why was all of this happening? At first she was worried for her mother, but deep down she knew Erica Kane could handle anything. A letter writing stalker was no match for the strong diva. Her worry turned to fear when she heard about the threats towards her family. While there was a twinge of annoyance with the FBI's presence, she was grateful for their protection. The protection they afforded her children and wife.

Without warning Bianca lifted the glass to her lips, draining the glass in one long swallow. The liquid burned its way down, causing a soft cough to escape her lips.

She loved her family. Reese and the children were her world. Bianca hated to fight with Reese. She loved her and Reese loved her back. Ever since the train ride though...god damn Frankie Stone! She was not going to do this. She was not going to enter her life and leave it without some kind of explanation. The little talk on the train was not nearly enough. Bianca had been too startled at the sight of the long-lost twin to ask the questions she needed to ask. Well...she was going to get those answers; and then, she was was going to get on with her life. Her life with Reese, Miranda, and Gabby.

Slamming the glass onto the table, she spun around, her long hair whipping across her face. With a determined look, she stormed across the room until she reached the door to her office. Flinging it open, she stepped outside, immediately spotting one of the agents assigned to her. She marched over to him, eyes hardening with each step.

His expressionless face turned to her, "Good morning Mrs. Williams. May I help you?"

She almost laughed at his question. Help her? "I need to speak with your boss...whoever is in charge."

He stared at her, face never changing, "Is there something I can help you with, ma'am?"

"No, I wish to speak with your boss." she firmly replied.

Thinking she was nervous about her security, the protectees usually were, he hastened to reassure her, "There's no need to be worried, Mrs. Williams. We have the entire building secured. Your wife is with her detail, as are your daughters. You are all safe ma'am. Everything is under control."

"Agent, you could have the entire army surrounding the building, and I wouldn't care. I wish to speak with your superior."

He opened his mouth to reply, but was quickly cut off, "No. This has nothing to do with my protection. I need to speak with your superior concerning another agent."

He furrowed his brow in slight confusion, wondering who she could be talking about. "Ma'am, has one of the other agents acted unprofessionally towards you or your family?"

She shook her head, getting impatient with the man, "No. I need to find out about one of the agents."

"Mrs. Williams...all agent information is personal and classified." he informed her, taking note of her twitching hands.

Bianca wrung her hands together, trying to work the tension out, "Agent, I want to speak with the head of this operation NOW!"

Hearing the unrelenting tone and feeling the burn of her penetrating eyes, the agent let out a breath and lifted his wrist, speaking softly into the radio hidden there. "Command this is Agent Jones, over."

Bianca watched as the man turned away from her, inhibiting her from hearing his conversation. She ran a hand across her face again, wishing for all of this to be a dream. Maybe she would wake up soon and find herself in Reese's arms, their children laughing with glee as they tried to scramble into their bed to be with their parents. All of this would be just a dream.

"Excuse me, Ma'am. My superior is currently in a meeting, but will be available within two hours to meet with you."

Bianca locked eyes with Agent Jones and nodded, "I'm heading home. Let your boss know I'll be there waiting for when he wants to speak with me."

* * *

Bianca paced around the living room, stopping every few minutes to re-straighten the pictures on the mantle and the curtains by the windows.

The agent was late.

The two hour time span had expired forty-five minutes ago. Where was he? This agent was supposed to help clear all of this up so Bianca could go back to the way things were.

Why did it even matter? Bianca made her twentieth trip around the room, forming a path in the plush carpet. Frankie Stone...all of the Stones for that matter...had been out of her life for years. They were no longer a part of it. She didn't care what was going on with them...it didn't matter.

Stopping at the pictures once again, she took in the smiling faces starring back at her. There was one of her and Miranda at the park; the little girl was holding her hand out to feed a passing duck while her mother watched on silently. Next to that was a trio from her wedding to Reese. The two women were decked out in their designer white gowns, expressions gleaming with joy at the photographer as they held one another. Resting her hand on the mantle, Bianca fixed her eyes on the support, her mind flashing back to a few days ago.

"_What do you mean Agent Stone will not be joining us?" questioned Bianca as she moved her face closer to the window, desperate to see the faded image of the lost Stone. The two agents ignored her, their attention focused on the road and any possible threats. _

_Not hearing an answer, she turned to glare at the suit clad men. As she opened her mouth to repeat her question, a small voice pipped up, "Who's Agent Stone?"_

_Bianca looked down at Miranda. The little girl had an arm wrapped protectively against her sister, the baby of the family cuddled up against her side. Big brown eyes so much like her own peered up at her, a curious gleam in them. _

"_No one, baby." answered the mother as she smoothed down an errant hair on the child's head. She caught the brief glance in the mirror from the agent in the passenger seat. She ignored Agent Taylor and returned her attention to her daughter._

"_Than why are you looking for them?" Miranda furrowed her brow in thought._

"_Because baby...she reminded me of someone I once knew." replied the older woman after a few seconds. Sensing her inquisitive daughter had more questions, she reached into her purse and expertly pulled out a coloring book and box of crayons. Living with two small children had left her prepared for moments when they might become bored or full of questions. "Here Miranda, why don't you color a picture for Reese?"_

_The little girl took the book and crayons happily, momentarily distracted from her previous thoughts. With a sigh, Bianca turned her attention back to the agents, their stoic countenance deterring her from asking anymore questions...especially if it would jump start Miranda again. She loved her daughter, but at times she could be as curious as a cat and as stubborn as a dog with a bone. Thank goodness she hadn't really seen Frankie on the train...that would have brought up a whole slew of questions the woman was in no way ready to answer...let alone think about._

_After a while, the car pulled up in front of the apartment building the family called home. Opening her door, Bianca climbed out of the backseat, turning to help her children out as well. The two agents moved to the back of the car and began to pull out the suitcases. Three more agents walked out of the building, eyes darting around the area. Two of them grabbed the suitcases and lugged them into the building; the third kept a standing vigilance. _

_Making sure her children were safely standing on the sidewalk next to the agent and were occupied with him as well, Bianca walked up to the agent she had spoken with so briefly in the car. She stepped in front of him, blocking him from re-entering the car._

"_Welcome home, Mrs. Williams." he spoke without an expression, his tone flat._

_Bianca reached out to grasp at his sleeve, her eyes searching his own, "You...you know Frankie...Agent Stone. You know who she is."_

_He stared at her, taking in the emotion spilling from her eyes. After a few moments he imperceptibly nodded, signaling his agreement. _

_Taking in a deep breathe, attempting to control her feelings, the brunette took this in. "What...what do you know about her? Is she...is she ok?"_

_Before the agent could answer his partner appeared next to them, "Mrs. Williams, would you please come with me. Your luggage is in the apartment, and it would be safer if you were as well."_

_She kept her eyes on the agent in front of her, silently pleading with him for something...anything. He stepped back from her, nodding his head at his partner, "Welcome home, Ma'am."_

Pulling herself out of the memory, Bianca dropped her hand from the mantle and rubbed it hard against her face. She spun away from it and continued her pacing. She didn't care...it didn't matter. So what if the agent didn't tell her anything...it was for the best. It was a sign. She wasn't supposed to know...she didn't care.

She began lap number twenty-one. But Frankie owed her. She owed her! She had spent so much time on a girl who had repeatedly lied to her. She had lied about everything. That was just like the Stone twins...to lie and deceive. She was a grown woman...she had children and a wife. She ran one of the largest companies in the world. Her mother was Erica Kane, damn it!

Reaching the middle of lap twenty-two, Bianca changed direction and moved towards the front door, ripping it open in anger. Turning her head, she spotted Agent Jones and swooped down on him.

"Where the hell is he? It's been almost three hours!"

Agent Jones attempted to hide his surprise at the venomous tone directed at him, "I don't know Ma'am. The meeting might have ran long. I was assured she would come here right after."

"Well...where is he...she?" Bianca corrected herself.

"He/She? Are we talking about your rockstar ex?" an amused voice spoke from behind the duo.

Bianca froze, her anger disappearing in an instant at the shocking voice. Agent Jones turned to his superior, a grateful look flashing across his face.

"It's ok Agent Jones. I got it from here. You're relieved." the other agent placed a hand on his shoulder as he walked away.

She stepped into the now vacated spot in front of Bianca, the brunette business woman still frozen in place. "Jeez Bianca, you were really going into him. I was getting flashbacks of your mother, again. Guess those Kane genes are making themselves known, huh."

Bianca blinked, her eyes taking in the slightly rumpled blue shirt and black slacks. A gun was holstered on the woman's right hip. Her own startled eyes met dancing brown. "Frankie."

"Yep, sorry I'm late. You know how traffic can be in this area." replied Frankie with a shrug.


	3. Chapter 2

Bianca just stared at her, stunned by the arrival of the smaller woman. "W-What are you doing here?"

Frankie shoved her hands into her trouser pockets, "You wanted to see me, Bianca. This was all your set-up."

"I-I don't...no, Frankie no." Bianca shook her head, catching on to what the agent was saying. She took a tiny step back from the agent, needing to put space between them.

"We should take this inside." Frankie reached out a hand, grasping the taller woman's forearm and steering her back into the apartment. She didn't think the brunette would be happy with an audience for this conversation.

Once inside, Bianca shook her arm, forcing Frankie to release her hold. She walked over to the fireplace and gripped the mantel, her unfocused eyes blinking rapidly. This was too much. Why was this happening? She couldn't do this...wouldn't do this, again. She didn't know what to think...what to feel.

Frankie stood near the door, taking in the apartment. This was Bianca's home...her family's home. The short girl almost felt like an intruder, like someone from the outside looking in. A harsh chuckle escaped her lips; she had always been an outsider.

"You think this is funny?" Bianca spun around, cold eyes zeroing in on the agent. Anger roared through her veins.

Frankie opened her mouth to reply, but Bianca angrily cut her off, "No...you don't get to do this. _You don't get to do this!_ You think you can just come back into my life? God, this is so like you. You think you can do whatever you want and just joke about it. My life isn't a joke, Frankie!"

"I know that. I didn't mean to laugh like that." Frankie attempted to move towards the visibly irate woman.

"You _always_ mean to be like that. It was all a big joke to you, wasn't it. Just some con artist who thought she could get away with it. What's the con this time, _Mary-Francis_? Huh? Maybe you're the one writing the letters. After my family again..."

"Stop right there! Don't say another word that I'm sure you're going to regret." Frankie raised a hand to silence the ranting.

"Regret? The only thing I regret was pretending that I cared about you."

Frankie's eyes hardened as her hand dropped. "You feel better now, princess?" Bianca opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted, "No, it's my turn now. First off, it's Frankie...or Agent Stone. I am not here to con you; I am here to protect you. I was assigned to your case,"

"I don't want you here. I don't want you near my family. I don't trust you."

"That's too damn bad, Bianca! I was assigned to your case. I am the lead agent. Sorry if that bursts your little happy family bubble, but having a stalker ain't so much fun either. Unless, of course, Reese can catch the guy."

Bianca stormed over to Frankie, "Don't talk about my wife. You don't know anything about us."

"What's there left to know, Bianca? I think the tabloids covered the basics." Frankie peered into stormy brown eyes, searching for something...anything. Almost desperate to see a piece of the girl she had once knew. The kind gentle soul that used to shine from those beautiful brown orbs.

She saw nothing.

"Reading the tabloids now huh? Guess that's all that people like you can read. You did always like the Exposer." Bianca was not going to let Frankie Stone think she could just walk in and get her way.

Frankie clenched her jaw at the slight dig, "Too bad they forgot to mention how much of a bitch you've turned into."

"How dare you speak that way to me! Get out of my house!" Bianca shouted, her face burning at the insult.

Frankie took a deep breath and shoved her clenched hands into her pockets, knowing she should keep her mouth shut and walk away. Arguing with the person she was supposed to protect was never a good thing...arguing with Bianca was never something she wanted to do. But even though she knew she should, her Stone instincts kicked in and wouldn't let her back down.

"It's an apartment, actually." the shorter woman let a bratty smirk cross her face. If Bianca wanted to go this route...let her. Frankie could go all night.

Bianca shoved a finger in her face, her own bright red, "I don't want you near me or my family. I don't want cowardly thieves near us. Now leave, I don't want to see you again."

"Oh, but I thought we were going to bake cupcakes and braid each other's hair. Gosh...now my night's ruined. Thanks a lot..._Erica_." Frankie gave her a hard look before pushing her way towards the door. She reached forward and yanked it open, letting it slam behind her.

Bianca stood there, seething as she heard the footsteps stomp down the hall. A harsh breath escaped her lips as she tugged at her hair. Tears rolled down her face and she angrily swiped at them. That woman was so frustrating! She always had been. But things were different this time. She may have been startled and unable to properly think on the train ride, but now it was different. Frankie wasn't going to trick her again.

The brunette ignored the images of the agent flashing in her mind. The touch of her hand as she led her into the apartment. The curve of her lips as she tried to calm down the angry woman. The look in her eyes when Bianca told her the 'regret.'

The sound of the front door opening faintly registered among the swirling thoughts. Bianca looked up to see Reese gently closing the door, concern etched across her face as she took in the tears falling from her wife's big brown eyes.

"Honey, what's wrong?" the architect rushed forward, quickly enveloping the shaking body in her arms.

Bianca clung to her, restless hands grasping at the material of her suede coat. She buried her face into a cool neck, her eyes closing as she felt more tears pour down her face. This was where she was supposed to be...with her wife.

"Shhh, it's ok. What's going on? Are the children ok?" Reese soothed as she raised a hand and rubbed small circles on the crying woman's back.

With a sniffle, Bianca pulled back and wiped at her eyes, "They're fine. Everyone's fine. I just...I just missed you. I'm so sorry about this morning."

"It's ok. There's no need to cry. I love you." Reese looked into watery eyes.

A second later, lips were pressed against lips. Reese moaned deep in her throat as warm hands ran up her body and pushed her coat from her shoulders. She quickly slipped her own hand underneath Bianca's shirt, muscles jumping at the sudden touch.

"Your hands are so cold." Bianca gasped as she broke away for air.

"Weather's getting colder." absently replied Reese as her hand moved up and cupped a lace covered breast.

"We'll just have to get you out of those clothes and warmed up."

* * *

Frankie bolted out the door of the apartment building, a hand buried in her pocket. Wild fingers stumbled around until they wrapped around a beaten pack of cigarettes. Pulling the small package out, she shook one of the white sticks loose and snagged it with her teeth.

She ignored the agent standing guard outside the front door to the building as her legs propelled her forward, as far away from that place as possible. She fished out the cheap green lighter and flicked the metal with her thumb, eliciting a weak flame. She subconsciously noted it was almost out of fuel as she brought the flame to the cigarette. As the end began to burn, she pulled the lighter away and shoved it back into the pack. She inhaled deeply, sucking in smoke and peace until her lungs burned and her nose itched. Two fingers braced against the stick and removed it, a wrist flicking it absently as it came down to her side. She could already feel the calming effect of the narcotic taking hold as she slowly let out the billowing smoke, a cloud soon clinging to the air around her.

That...that woman! Bianca Montgomery...or Bianca Williams as she went by now. If she had ever seen an Erica Kane replicate, that was it. Yeah...maybe she deserved some of that. Frankie never pretended to be a perfect angel. She knew that there was the chance her sudden appearance might not be well received. Eight years was a long time, especially if they thought you were dead.

A lot of that though, was just cruel. She had tried to stay focused and professional. Bianca knew how to press buttons though, and Frankie couldn't hold back. She had tried to grow past that side of her, the bratty sarcastic kid with a chip the size of Wisconsin on her shoulder, but the taller girl brought it all back with one look and a few well-placed words.

She brought the stick back up to her mouth, the long frame almost burnt down to her fingers. She took another quick puff as her cellphone went off, vibrating against her leg. She flipped it open, tossing the burning stub to the ground.

"Stone...I'll be right there."

* * *

Frankie walked through the Paris FBI headquarters, her lean legs carrying her down darkened hallways. Her fingers itched to light another cigarette, and her stomach reminded her she hadn't eaten since breakfast. Unfortunately, two coffees and a pastry were not enough to last the day.

She turned a corner and saw light emitting from underneath a closed door. Reaching out a hand, the woman pulled open the door and swiftly entered. She immediately blinked, the bright fluorescent lights shocking her eyes.

"Hey Stone, 'bout time you showed up. How'd the meeting with the Cambias chick go?"

Frankie, eyes adjusted, ignored Agent Taylor as she shrugged out of her black blazer and threw it into a chair. The room was small, fitting only a few desks and uncomfortable looking wooden chairs. Desk lamps and computer monitors graced each desk, and a window on the far wall revealed a darkened side street. Two agents were in the room. One of them, Agent Taylor, was leaning against a desk with his arms folded across his chest. The other agent was sitting at the desk, shuffling through a pile of papers.

"What do we got?" Frankie stepped over to the desk, pushing all thoughts out of her mind and focusing on the situation. Her eyes glanced over the pile of papers the agent was flipping through.

" 'Nother letter. Campolini got a new one in Pennsylvania. He faxed over a copy." Taylor answered.

Agent Johnson held up the sheet of paper, his eyes never leaving the mess on his desk. Frankie snatched the fax and reached for the phone to Johnson's left. She picked it up and dialed, holding the receiver to her ear as she scanned the page.

"Campolini." sounded in her ear after a few rings.

"Mark, what have we got?" she asked, rereading the paper.

"Besides drama, chaos, and crazy people?"

"I see you're loving Pine Valley. Just watch out for speeding cars and psycho relatives, and you'll be fine."

"Whatever Stone, what kind of advice is that? Anyways, we got a new letter here. Same as the others. Blah blah blah, Erica Kane is the devil, blah blah blah, will stop her and her evilness."

Frankie rested a hip against the desk as she shifted the phone to her shoulder, "All somewhat valid points, but nothing to do with me."

"I hear you on that. She's intense, Stone. Thinks because she is rich she can run my investigation. But, as for you, the ending is the beauty. Says they'll end her family too. That's where you come in. It's not as explicit as the others, but you get a mention."

"Always gotta love a mention." Frankie replied as she highlighted the one sentence pertaining to her part of the job, "I'm gonna need fingerprint analysis, handwriting analysis..."

Taylor rolled his eyes as he heard his superior name off the documents she wanted sent. "We do that every time. Every time we get nothing. This guy doesn't give us information like that. He's too smart."

"Maybe he'll become stupid once and slip up." Frankie hung up the phone, "I want a check-in with all the agents in the field. We need to analyze this letter against the other ones. Look for patterns."

"Hey boss, who is gonna tell the family?" Taylor stood up and grabbed a pencil, preparing to call his list of agents.

Frankie, head down and eyes focused on the letter, answered, "No one. We're not going to tell them anything. They don't need to know."

"They don't need to know?" questioned Taylor as he slid over to his desk.

"We don't know anything, yet. If we need to, we'll inform the Williams, but right now there's no point." Frankie headed towards the small coffee machine in the corner.

Taylor accepted this with a nod and picked up his phone. Frankie lifted up the half-full coffee pot, and after a few seconds of searching, poured the hot liquid into an empty styrafoam cup. She took a huge gulp, hoping the caffeine would help jumpstart her system. After the confrontation with Bianca, adrenaline was pumping through her veins. Now though, her mind and body were finally feeling the effects of her long hours.

"You never did say how your meeting went." Taylor's voice carried across the room.

Frankie stared into her coffee, studying the black substance. She brought the cup to her lips and drank the rest of it. Crushing the styrafoam in her hand, she tossed it into the wastebasket and walked back over to Johnson's desk.

Man, she needed a cigarette.


	4. Chapter 3

The insistent ringing of the alarm clock blared across the room, its annoying jingle penetrating the darkness. Bianca groaned as she rolled over. Eyes closed, she swatted at the small device. Her hand swung through the air a few times before landing on the plastic button, ending the much too loud noise.

Arms wrapped around her from behind, "Mmm, it's too early to be morning."

Bianca felt Reese wriggle closer to her; a pair of lips gently pressed against the back of her neck, "Someone kept us up all night."

"That someone needs more sleep."

Bianca shifted in her arms, turning to face her wife. She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the inviting lips before her. "I can think of something else we could be doing besides sleeping."

Reese's eyes twinkled as she pulled the brunette closer, "I wonder what that could be?"

The light patter of small feet raced in front of the closed bedroom door, causing Reese to raise her head, "The children are up."

"Let the nanny deal with them." Bianca grasped her wife's face and forcefully pulled her into another kiss.

"Mmm...honey...we have to get up." the blonde whispered between kisses.

Reese pulled back, and Bianca let her go with a sigh. Rubbing a hand across her face, Bianca watched as the other woman moved towards the window and pushed open the velvet drapes. Sunlight poured in, illuminating the room. The brunette squinted, her eyes still used to the darkness. She ran a hand through her hair as Reese gathered her robe and walked into the adjoining bathroom. Soon the sound of falling water permeated the air.

Swinging her legs around, the mother lifted herself from the bed and reached for her robe. The garment was limply scattered across the floor, having been absently thrown there the night before by Reese. She wrapped the soft silk around her naked body and tightened the sash. With a quick look in the mirror, she was out the door and walking towards the kitchen.

"Mommy! Joan made waffles!" cried out Miranda as Bianca entered the large kitchen. Bianca smiled at her daughter as she sat down at the table, the older woman immediately placing a steaming cup of coffee and a pastry in front of her.

"She did? That's great." replied Bianca as she lifted the mug and blew across the top, attempting to cool down the burning liquid.

"Yep, and tonight she's gonna make mac and cheese after we visit the duckies!" exuberantly added the toddler with a big nod.

"You're going to visit the ducks?" Bianca sipped at her beverage.

"After she goes to school and finishes her homework." answered Joan, her American accent a slight comfort to the family. She ambled over to the high chair at the edge of the table, where Gabby was focused on picking up small bits of pastry and shoving them in her mouth.

"Did I hear something about ducks?" Reese waltzed through the entrance, a smile across her face.

Miranda bounced in her chair, almost knocking the bottle of syrup over. "Yep, me an' Gabby are gonna feed the duckies."

"That sounds like a lot of fun." Reese grabbed an apple from the bowl on the counter and bit into it.

"I'm going to be late tonight. We have a big meeting about the Lyon project. I don't know when I'll be getting in." she directed towards Bianca as she swallowed.

"Oh...that's fine. I'll probably be busy with Cambias stuff anyways. The London trip seems to have only added more work."

Miranda looked back and forth between the two, "But there'll be mac and cheese."

Reese blinked at her before smiling gently, "Yes, but sometimes us grown-ups have to work and we miss stuff. But don't you want your mommy to have a big strong company for you when you get older?"

Miranda nodded, not really understanding what Reese was saying, but she didn't want to show it.

"Good girl. Now you be good for Joan. I'll see you tomorrow." Reese kissed the top of her and Gabby's heads before capturing Bianca's lips in a swift kiss. Then, she was gone.

Bianca finished her coffee and gracefully chewed the last few bites of pastry. As she wiped her fingers on a napkin, she directed her gaze on Joan,"I need to get ready for work. I'll be at Cambias all day today and most of this evening. If you need to, call me there." She then stood up and leaned over to give her daughters a kiss on the cheek, "Have fun today and listen to Joan."

Miranda watched as her mother walked away, back towards her bedroom. Looking down at her half eaten waffles, she muttered, "I'm always good." With a lift of the head, she looked at her sister, the younger girl happily giggling as she saw her big sister's attention focused on her. "Don't worry Gabby. We'll have mac and cheese together."

* * *

Bianca hung up the phone, the two hour conversation with the head of the accounting department causing a small headache to form. Listening to accountants was never the most thrilling endeavor, but listening about numbers and financial forms for two hours was just plain torture. It needed to be done, though. She had to make sure everyone was doing there job and performing to standard. This London deal was important. It would bring in a lot of money and other assets for the company.

With a sigh she leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, taking a small break before moving on to the next item on her to do list. The gentle hum of her open laptop and the softness of the leather chair soon had her drifting off into sleep.

_She reached out a hand, gently moving a stray hair that had loosened from Miranda's ponytail. Her heart swelled, she loved her children with everything she had. Soon they would be home and back with Reese. All of this would be over with and they could go back to their normal lives. Pulling her hand back into her lap, Bianca released another sigh. Now where was that agent?_

_The agent who had ushered them onto the train, Agent Smith, had informed them that a different agent would be riding with them to Paris. However, this agent had yet to show up. The train was due to leave in two minutes. Maybe they hadn't made it? Bianca didn't know if this made her happy or not. _

_Her thoughts were cut off when the sound of footsteps and the rustling of clothes reached her ears. She looked up to see a rather short individual hurriedly walking down the aisle, the black jacket of their suit flapping slightly. _

_This must be the FBI agent._

_Bianca wondered if they were all taught how to dress at the FBI academy. Plain black suit and white button up shirt underneath. Her wondering was quickly cut short though when she looked up at the face of the presumed agent. Her breath came out in a shocked gasp, her hands flying to the armrests._

_"Wha…What?" she stammered as the person came to a stop next to their seats._

_So many emotions were making their way through Bianca. Anger, sadness, pain, happiness._

_Taking a deep breath, she opened her mouth, the first words she could properly form spilling out, "Maggie! What are you doing here? And why are you dressed like that?" The agent looked at her with a shocked expression, the sudden outburst startling her as well as the surrounding people._

_Bianca blinked, stunned as well at her own outburst. Seeing the face of the girl she had loved, who had hurt her so much, who she hadn't seen in so long, had taken away any control she had. With another sigh, she rubbed at her eyes, calming herself down._

_"Jeez, you sure know how to make a girl feel welcome." sarcastically replied the agent, running a hand through her short dark hair._

_Bianca looked up at this, taking in the girl before her. She was in, it seemed, the standard agent uniform of black suit pants, black suit jacket, and white shirt. The faint hint of a shoulder harness could be seen when the girl raised her arm. Short dark brown chin length hair framed a face that was without a doubt that of her ex-lover._

_She watched as the agent sat down in the chair across from her, fiddling with her shirt cuffs. This…this was almost too much. The last time they had seen each other had not been on very pleasant terms. So why was she here? And when had she become an FBI agent?_

_"Maggie…why are you here?" quietly asked the confused woman._

_"Stop calling me that." started the Maggie-look-alike. She had stopped playing with her cuffs and now leaned back into her seat, looking at Bianca._

_A roguish grin spread across her face, "I know it's been a while Biancala….but this yelling isn't necessary. If I didn't know any better I'd think you were channeling your mom or something."_

_Now Bianca was more confused than ever. Why was Maggie talking like that? Then she froze. Her breath caught in her throat._

_Bianca'la._

_She couldn't breathe. She had called her Bianca'la._

_Only one person had ever called her that. Her eyes searched the face before her. That devil-may-care smile. Those twinkling eyes._

_No. It couldn't be. It just couldn't. It wasn't possible._

_She felt numb. She felt light headed. This wasn't right._

_Bianca didn't notice as the woman across from her leaned forward, concern flashing across her face. She didn't notice as the woman grasped her hands. All she could feel, all she could see, was a young nineteen year old, leaning casually against the door frame, telling her not to give up so easily on her._

_"Frankie?" Bianca breathed out, feeling faint._

Bianca's eyes snapped open, her body lurching into wakefulness. She raised a hand, running it across her face.

What was that? Why was she remembering that?

She didn't want to think about Frankie Stone. She hadn't thought about the agent since their confrontation a few days ago. She had made a vow to forget about the smaller woman, and she had...for the most part.

Every once in a while, flashes of confused brown eyes and smart remarks flew across her mind. But, she pushed those memories away. She instantly forced herself to forget about them, focusing on her work or family instead. The London project was taking up a lot of time, and when she wasn't at work, Reese was usually right on hand to provide a different form of distraction.

She said she did not want to see her again, and she meant it.

Pulling her chair closer to the desk, the CEO picked up her phone, ready to get back to work. Dialing the extension for the research and development department head, she grasped a pen and flipped the cap off.

As she listened to the ringing through the receiver, she mindlessly doodled on the yellow legal pad, forming odd black shapes and circles.

Frankie always used to do that. Doodle. Whenever they were sitting around doing nothing, Frankie was doodling...or folding paper airplanes...or something. She was always moving, always doing something with her hands. She was restless. One time, when they had gone to meet Leo before his wedding to Laura, thank god that didn't happen, Frankie was walking around and plucked a watch from a champagne flute. She held her prize up, which was quickly snatched back by her cousin. He accused her of stealing it. She replied that she rescued it. She was like a little kid though, picking everything up and touching anything within arms reach. Sometimes that was a good thing, though. When they were leaving Leo's place, the girl had surprised Bianca with a small flower, having torn it from a plant a few moments before.

She especially was restless when she felt unsure or nervous. She tended to fiddle with her necklace. It was a sign Bianca had soon learned to recognize...and something she found adorable.

Adorable?

Bianca shook these thoughts away and looked down at the paper that was now covered with black lines. Sighing, she ripped it from the pad and crumbled it up. Without looking, she threw it at the wastebasket...and missed by a foot. No one had answered the phone, so she hung up, making a mental note to find out why that was.

But adorable? No, not at all. Her mind shifted back to the previous thought process. Sure, maybe to a young teenager the very thought of any cute girl doing something was adorable. But that sign was nowhere near that. It wasn't adorable. It meant that Frankie was going to clam up and not talk to Bianca. It meant she was going to shut her out, acting like the dark-haired girl was just a kid.

And she wasn't even supposed to be thinking about Frankie anyway. She was completely done with her. She never needed to see her again. The only reason she even saw her was because she had foolishly asked for a meeting with the head of the investigation. She knew better now though.

Oh...and on the train.

Wait...the train. Frankie was on the train with them from London to Paris.

She was never there before. Never visibly protecting them.

Bianca picked up the phone.

No, she wasn't going to think about this. She didn't care. That woman was out of her life, forever.

She dialed the number for the research and development department.

Frankie Stone had not been a part of her life since she was seventeen. She wasn't going to be a part of it now.

The phone rang as she waited for the other end to pick up.

But why was she on that train?

Bianca slammed the phone down. With a huff she stood up. Her long legs carried her across the floor and she opened her door. Agent Jones stood outside, his stoic face taking in every inch of the space around him.

"Agent Jones." Bianca stepped out.

He turned to look at her, "Mrs. Williams, what can I do for you?"

Bianca took a deep breath, "I need to speak with Agent Stone, again."

Jones slightly squinted his eyes, "With Agent Stone, ma'am? Is there something I can help you with?"

"No Agent Jones, I need to speak with Agent Stone." Bianca sighed in slight frustration.

"Ma'am, I could possibly help you. If you have any questions about your protection, I am more than happy to assist you."

"I appreciate that Agent Jones, but only your boss knows the answers to my questions."

"Agent Stone is very busy, ma'am. If you could tell me what your questions are, I might be able to help."

"Jones, call Frankie and tell her to get over here!" Bianca practically yelled.

Blinking at the loud voice, the young agent nodded his head and spoke into his microphone, "Agent Jones to Command."

"Tell her I'll be in my office working." Bianca spun around into her office, closing the door behind her.

This would be much better, the brunette thought as she moved over to her desk. Her office was a better meeting spot than her apartment. She didn't want the agent there, close to her family. No. Here in the office it would be just the two of them.

This was Bianca's realm. Her domain. Nobody could overpower or outwit her there, especially Frankie Stone.

* * *

Completely wrapped up in the financial forms before her, Bianca didn't hear the first few knocks on her door. Finally, the sound reached her ears and she let out a "Come in."

The door swung open and Frankie Stone stood in the frame, baggy eyes taking in the woman regally perched at the large business desk.

"You called." she drawled out as she stepped inside and closed the door, Agent Jones' curious face blocked from view.

Bianca ignored her for a moment, writing something on the paper in front of her. "Have a seat Agent Stone."

Frankie raised an eyebrow before rolling her eyes and dragging herself over to the desk. It had been hours since she had a coffee and cigarette, and she desperately needed both, soon.

Flopping into the chair, she crossed her arms and watched as the CEO kept her eyes on the legal pad as she wrote down notes about the files. Looking around the room, Frankie's eyes found the small bar set up against the side wall. The thought of a drink crossed her mind. A good shot of bourbon wouldn't be so bad right now...a bourbon and cigarette would be heaven.

"Why were you on the train?"

Frankie's head whipped around, startled by the sudden question, "What?"

Bianca folded her hands on her desk, eyes pinning the agent to the chair. Now face to face with Frankie, she noticed the tired bloodshot eyes and dark circles underneath.

"Are you ok?" she asked, her voice taking on a softer tone.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Frankie was confused by the sudden kindness, "I've been worse."

Bianca voice hardened, "I bet you have." She refused to think about what that meant. "Why were you on the train?"

Frankie leaned back farther into her chair, "I was doing my job."

"Your job? What exactly is your job? Stalking me?"

Frankie let out a harsh chuckle, "You wish."

Bianca frowned, "We never saw you before that day. You were never a part of the groups of agents following us around."

"Why does this matter?" Frankie sighed as she unfolded her arms and tapped her fingers against the arm of the chair.

"I just want to know why you were there. It's a simple question." Bianca sat tall in her seat, calmly looking down at the other girl.

"I was doing my job. I told you."

"Your job. The job that never had you near us. The job that never had you protecting any of us. You were never there. You're supposedly the head of this operation. I guess the boss doesn't do that stuff. But why then? Why did you all of a sudden show up? Are you lying to me? Are you really the head of this operation? Hell, are you even an actual agent?"

Frankie's hands gripped the end of the chair's arms as she leaned forward, "Is that what you think? That I'm just some person off the street?"

Bianca leaned forward as well, "Aren't you?"

Frankie clenched her jaw, "Yeah, I used to be from the street. But now? Now, I am the head of this operation. I am the lead agent of the Paris section of your family's case. My position does not afford me the chance to be in your beautiful presence everyday, unfortunately. Protection is only part of the case. We are also investigating. I'm running both ends."

Bianca opened her mouth, but Frankie kept going, "I was on the train that day because I had to be. The agent who was supposed to be traveling with you was in a car crash on his way to the station. The majority of the agents who were in England had already left for Paris. All others left there were occupied with their assigned tasks. That's why I was late. I had to rush over there because no one else could do it."  
"Why were you in England, if you're so busy investigating here?" Bianca studied the woman before her, looking for hints that she was lying.

"I got there the minute we received the letter openly threatening you. I felt it was more important to be where the three of you were."

"So you just left Reese here by herself. Left my wife defenseless."

Frankie shook her head, "No. She still had a detail. I was in constant contact with them throughout the trip."

"Why didn't you come with us?"

"After the train ride? The agent I covered for was only assigned to the transportation from London to Paris. As you know, other agents took over from there."

Bianca looked down at her desk, breaking any eye contact with the agent. She stared at the wooden surface for a few moments, her mind processing the answers she had received. Frankie watched her with tired eyes. The deep brown orbs roamed over pale skin and lush hair, imprinting the woman's features to memory. Sure, they had seen each other a few times recently, but it had been so long before then.

"I don't believe you." Bianca's head lifted, snapping the agent out of her silent gaze.

"What?" Frankie incredulously said.

"I don't believe you. How can I? You...you conned me before. Who is to say you aren't doing it again? Once a con always a con, right?"

Frankie swiftly stood up, wobbling on her feet for a second. "Whatever, Bianca. I don't have time for this" She reached into her blazer and pulled out a folded black wallet. With frustration and anger etched across her face, she threw the object. It landed with a thud and slid across the desk. The impact opened the wallet to show a shiny badge and photo id.

"Believe whatever the hell you want to believe. I just don't really care anymore."

With that she stormed towards the door. She placed a hand on the doorknob when she was within arms reach, but a voice stopped her from opening it.

"Would I have ever seen you...if the crash didn't happen? Would you have shown yourself to me if you weren't forced to be on that train?" Bianca called out.

Bianca watched as Frankie's body tensed, her grip on the handle tightening. She waited...needing to know the answer for some reason. With the shorter woman's back facing her, she couldn't see what, if any, emotions flashed across her face.

The room was deathly silent. A few moments tensely passed.

Then, without a word, Frankie ripped open the door and strode out of the office. Agent Jones' wide eyes were visible from the now open door, watching his superior's forceful exit.


	5. Chapter 4

The sky was overcast. Only little streaks of sunlight filtered through the massive clouds, their dark color threatening rain.

Frankie sat at a small table on the sidewalk in front of the equally small cafe. The breadbasket and tin vile of mustard the waiter had deposited covered half of the circular table. There were only a few other customers scattered around, and the beginnings of a soccer match could be heard from a radio inside the restaurant.

Frankie rubbed at her eyes, hoping to wipe away the stress and exhaustion that was threatening to permanently set in. A phone call from Taylor a few minutes earlier confirmed that the stalker had left no fingerprints on the letter and they had no idea where it came from. They still knew nothing.

The agent reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out her phone. She forgot to call Campolini earlier to check in with the Pennsylvania group.

Well...she didn't necessarily forget. She was summoned to a meeting with her ex-girlfriend before she was able to make the call. Being yelled at and accused of lying multiple times wasn't the best way to get her to remember all she was supposed to do. It really was only good at stirring up emotions Frankie did not want or need stirred.

Holding the phone up, she scrolled through her contacts list when something landed on her table with an audible smack. Glancing down, a black wallet was awkwardly resting half on the table and half in the breadbasket.

"I believe that's yours. You forgot it when you ran away."

Frankie internally sighed as she put her phone down, "I wasn't running away."

Bianca let out a harsh chuckle, "You're always running away. That's what you Stones do, right? Run away?"

Frankie clenched her jaw, not really in the mood for round two just yet. "Ms. Montgomery, is there something I can help you with?"

"It's Mrs. Williams, and I am just returning your badge. It's probably something you need."

"Yeah, can't play cops and robbers without it."

"So, you like playing games."

Frankie sighed again, "What are you doing here, Bianca? If you're looking for round two, give me a few minutes. Even boxers get a little time in their corner."

"I'm not here to fight, Frankie. I told you, I'm here to return your badge."

"Did you check to make sure its real first? Those plastic toy ones are so realistic these days." Frankie let out before she could stop herself. The woman took a deep breath, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that."

"You don't mean to do or say a lot of things, do you?" Bianca finally sat down in the chair opposite Frankie, setting her purse down on the ground beside her.

_I didn't mean to fall in love with you_ thought Frankie as she noticed her waiter coming towards the table. "I guess so."

The waiter gently set down her ham and cheese sandwich. He looked over at Bianca, who waved him off with the flick of her wrist.

Frankie, having not eaten much the past few days, hungrily bit into her sandwich, small crumbs falling to coat the table.

Bianca watched silently as the shorter girl attacked her food. She smiled slightly, seeing some things never changed.

Frankie looked up, chewing on a large chunk of bread and meat, and caught Bianca's stare. She blinked once before looking down and picking up her napkin, wiping away the crumbs on her face.

Bianca laughed. The new sound startled Frankie and she glanced up at her, a crooked smile unconsciously appearing at the chuckle, "What?"

Bianca shook her head as she reached forward, her fingertips swiping at a fleck of mustard on Frankie's cheek, "You got a little something..."

The tips of Frankie's ears began to burn as she felt the soft touch against her skin. Her brown eyes locked with Bianca's.

The taller woman froze, suddenly remembering where she was and who she was with. In a flash, her hand was in her lap and she was looking around at the other people nearby.

Frankie, confused, blinked rapidly, still able to feel the fingers on her cheek. Finally getting her whirlwind mind under control, she opened her mouth, "Um..."

"When will this be over?" Bianca cut her off.

"Over?"

"The investigation. The protection details. When will it be over?"

"When we catch the guy.

Bianca rolled her eyes, "Of course it's over when you catch the guy. When will that be?"

"We're working on it."

"Work faster."

"We can only go off of what we have, Bianca. It's not that easy."

"Do you even have a suspect? Do you know anything?"

Frankie rubbed at her face, "I can't talk to you about this. It's an open investigation."

"That's a no."

"It's a 'this is an open investigation.' I cannot go into case details with you."

"That's rich. My family is being threatened by a crazy person and you can't talk to me about it."

"Bianca, where is this coming from?"

"Don't 'Bianca' me, Frankie. You're supposed to be in charge here. Answer my questions. Oh, that's right, you can't. Who are we kidding, you never could."

Frankie bristled at this, her sandwich long forgotten, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Bianca leaned forward, "You know exactly what it means. You never talked to me. You never opened up to me. Everything you told me was a lie."

"That's bullshit, Bianca, and you know it. You knew me, whether you like to think so or not. You knew the truth."

"Yeah, I knew the truth so much that I thought you were dead for eight years!"

"I'm sorry about that! What do you want me to do? I can't change that."

"I want you to stop lying to me! I want you to catch this guy and get out of our lives!"

By now both were yelling and people were stopping to watch them.

Frankie, noticing this, took a calming breath, "Do you really want to do this here?"

Bianca also looked around, finally seeing the crowd that was forming. Without a word she stood up and walked away, her heels clacking on the cobblestone road. Frankie reached into her pocket and grabbed a handful of euros, throwing them on the table. She quickly snatched her wallet and sprinted after the younger woman.

Bianca was speed walking, her heels and the uneven street the only things preventing her from full out running. Her cheeks burned in embarrassment at the crowd watching the scene. She didn't know where she was going, her long legs leading her down side streets and alleyways. Tears blurred her vision.

Not paying attention, a crack in the road caught her heel, and she tipped forward, her arms flailing out to catch herself. A strong hand snagged her, wrapping firmly around a bicep and pulling her back.

"What the hell are you doing? Where are you going?"

Bianca refused to look at Frankie as she wiped at her wet eyes.

"You can't do that! It's dangerous! Damn it, Bianca." yelled Frankie, a hint of fear in her voice.

"Don't tell me what to do! Always telling me what to do, thinking you know best. You, my mom, Kendall..."

"Oh grow up, Bianca. Get over it. You could have been killed running off like that! You think the guards are just for fun? That we have nothing better to do than stand around you?"

"You telling me to grow up....that's a good one. Telling me not to run away. How many times did you run, Frankie? Huh? You ran away today. You were asked a tough question and you left. Just like the good ol' days." Bianca turned to face the agent, tears still rolling down her face.

"The good ol' days? During the good ol' days you used to be kind...and gentle...and caring. What changed?"

"I grew up! I'm not a kid anymore, Frankie! I'm not that little naïve seventeen year old who's crazy about you."

"I thought you said you were pretending." Frankie stared at her, a large lump forming in her throat.

"It pissed my mom off, didn't it?"

Frankie nodded her head, her teeth biting the inside of her cheek so hard she tasted blood. She jammed her hand into her jacket pocket and searched around for her phone, ripping it out and dialing a number.

"This is Stone, get two agents over to the Latin Quarter. I don't know why Ms. Montgomery doesn't have a guard on her, but if they aren't here in two minutes..."

Bianca tuned her out. Her arms wrapped around her body in a protective hold.

Ending the call, Frankie began to walk away, a hand forcing her phone back into a pocket.

"Where are you going?" cried out Bianca.

"I'm running away. That's what I do, right?" Frankie called back without turning around, her voice cracking on the last word.

Bianca watched through her tears as a car came barreling around a corner and screeched to a stop in front of Frankie. Agent Jones and another suit clad man jumped out and rushed over to their boss. The CEO watched as the men practically fell over themselves explaining what happened, the lead agent shaking her head and speaking in low measured tones. With chastised looks on their faces, the two young agents snapped their attention over to Bianca and jogged to her.

"We are so sorry, Mrs. Williams. It will never happen again. If you would be so kind as to get in the car, we'll drive you back to the Cambias offices." Agent Jones gestured towards the black town car.

Bianca ignored them and watched as Frankie walked away, her figure disappearing around the corner.


	6. Chapter 5

The Paris FBI headquarters was always busy. They were hunting down terrorists and investigating global security concerns. Therefore, they did not deem a United States diva getting letters as a major problem. If it was up to them, they wouldn't even have to deal with it.

Thus, Washington stepped in. They were in complete control of all activities pertaining to the Kane case. All agents ultimately answered to them. While Paris did not have to handle the day-to-day happenings of the case, they still needed to provide space for the investigating team.

A little room at the end of an almost forgotten hallway was provided for the Washington agents. It only had a few desks, phones, and computers for the agents to use. For the lead agent, a door in the room led to a small space big enough for a desk, two chairs, and small closet. They felt this was good enough for someone who was only investigating a trivial matter...not one of huge national security.

Frankie was in this office, one that had come to be her own in the short amount of time she had been in Paris. The closet door was open, showing a few shirts and jackets hung up. A black suit jacket and shoulder harness were slung across the chair in front of her desk. The computer had been pushed to the side, allowing space for all the files to be spread out across the wooden surface.

Frankie scratched at her head. She had been looking at these letters for two hours straight and nothing new was popping out at her. Her eyes hurt from the constant reading, and her mind was starting to have trouble concentrating.

She set the paper she had been holding down and rubbed at her eyes. This was going nowhere. Hell, all of it had been going nowhere.

She picked up a black pen and started to fiddle with it, spinning it around in her hand. Why was she having so much trouble focusing on this case? There was evidence right in front of her that she couldn't figure out. She was running all around Paris arguing with the woman she was supposed to be protecting.

Frankie dropped the pen back on the table. She was better than this. She had been acting like a rookie. She knew better. Never let emotions get in the way of the job. Never even let them in when you're working. Bianca had been getting to her this whole time, making her feel emotional. She wasn't completely thinking with her head all the time.

Emotions can only hurt you on the job. If she had let anything get to her on her previous cases...she'd be dead already. The last time she was on a job and let Bianca get to her...well...that didn't end very well.

Frankie let out a breath and picked up another letter. She needed to get her head in the game and let all of this go. No matter what.

As she began to skim the letter for what seemed the thousandth time, the phone on her desk began to ring. Without looking, she grabbed the receiver and held it up to her ear, still reading the letter.

"Stone."

"Hey Stone, it's Campolini."

"Mark, what's up?" Frankie could hear commotion in the background.

"We uh...we got another letter."

"What did it say?" Frankie could hear a quiver in his voice. She set the paper down and focused on the conversation.

"The same as usual. Going to kill Erica Kane...there wasn't any mention of Paris this time."

Frankie frowned and looked at the clock. It must have been three in the morning back in the States, "Then why are you calling me this early? I only really deal with actions regarding Paris."

There was a slight pause before Campolini answered, "We got a package this time."

Frankie furrowed her eyebrows as she held the phone closer to her ear, "What was in the package, Mark?"

He took a deep breath, the commotion behind him only seeming to get louder.

"It was an eyeball, Frankie. A bloody torn out eyeball."

* * *

Frankie hung up the phone a few minutes later, her mind going a mile a minute. This changed everything. She quickly stood up, her holstered gun banging against the bottom of the desk. She ignored it as she rushed to the door and swung it open.

The main office was mostly full. All of the desks were occupied and some people were milling around, cups of coffee in hand as they talked. They all looked up when the door to their boss's office violently opened.

Frankie purposefully walked into the room, her eyes scanning the assembled agents.

"I want a check-in with all agents. I want voice confirmation with every single person on this team, whether they are in the field or not. Smith, Keller, Arnold, you are on that. I want to know where everyone is and what they are doing. Taylor, I want to know about the Williams. I need to know where they are, what they are doing, who they are with. Anything and everything. Johnson, get the incoming fax and bring it to my office immediately."

The room jumped to life, the named agents rushing to phones. Johnson hopped up from his chair and ran over to the fax machine.

"Jones reports that Bianca Williams is in her office at Cambias!" called out Taylor from his desk, the phone smashed between his shoulder and ear.

Frankie looked over at him, "Does he see her? I want visual confirmation. Tell him to get in that office and tell me if she is physically there and what she is doing."

The agents not rushing to call people tensely stood around. Confusion leaked into their minds. Why were they all of a sudden in an almost state of panic? What changed?

Sensing the sudden mood change, Frankie moved to the center of the room.

"Everybody listen up! I have just received a call from Pennsylvania. The perp has stepped up his game. He's not messing around anymore, and neither are we. I want at least one agent with each of the Williams at any given time. They are never to be alone. I want everyone on their feet and ready to go if and when I need you. Welcome to the show, guys."

Johnson came jogging up to her, a paper waving in his hand. Frankie turned and headed back to her office, Johnson following right behind her. On the way, she snagged Taylor's arm and pulled him away from his desk. Without a word, the three of them moved into her office, the door closing behind them.

Johnson set the fax on the desk on top of the other letters as Frankie moved to the mess on her chair. She unhooked the holster from her hip and set it on the table. Picking up the shoulder harness, she slipped it over her back and adjusted it so it fit properly. Ignoring the other two in the room, she shoved her gun in the new holster and flung on her jacket, making sure all traces of the gun and holster were hidden.

"Taylor," she finally voiced as she grabbed a set of car keys, "I want you and Johnson to check-in with all agents every hour. If something happens, call me immediately."

Taylor nodded his head, "Sure boss, but where are you going? And what's going on?"

Frankie slid her cell phone into her pocket, "What's going on is that you need to keep me informed. That's all you need to know."

* * *

Bianca gracefully stepped out of the car. Agent Jones rushed around from the driver's seat to help her, almost tearing the door off its hinges in his hast. She brushed off his offered hand and slid her purse strap over a shoulder.

What was going on? Ever since early that day, Jones had been sticking to her side like an annoying gnat. He wouldn't leave her alone. He was in her office all day. It was somewhat annoying trying to conduct business while someone was staring at you the whole time. He followed her everywhere. He almost even followed her into the restroom! More than once! Numerous agents were roaming the office hallways and lobby. If she thought there were a lot of agents surrounding her before, now she thought the whole bureau was with her.

If that wasn't bad enough, she had received a distressed phone call. Joan had called from Miranda's school. A group of agents had arrived there and were roaming the halls and outside the building. When she went to pick her up along with Gabby, the group followed them. The children were getting nervous with all the strangers around, and Joan didn't know what to do.

With all of this going on, Bianca was terrified. She needed to see her children. She needed to see Reese. To make sure they were ok. She had never been this worried before in her life, it seemed. Something was going on, and it was out of her control. She needed to get that control over her life back.

She entered her apartment building, and quickly noticed the agents walking around. Jones slid up to her side, his boyishly young face trying to stay stoic but failing miserably. Bianca could see the confusion and worry in his features, which only added to her own.

As they stepped towards the elevators, Bianca's eyes scanned the lobby. She stopped abruptly, causing Jones to almost run into her shoulder. Over to the side of the lobby was a small huddle of three agents, all dressed in that stupid black suit. In front of them stood none other than Frankie Stone.

Finally seeing what had caused Mrs. Williams to stop, Agent Jones slid to block the huddle from view, his arms out in an attempt to direct the woman back towards the elevators.

Bianca didn't even look at him as she pushed past the man. Her heels clicked on the marble flooring as she approached the tiny group.

"I want you to go over every inch of the outside of this building." she heard Frankie instruct as she got closer, "I want to know about any possible openings that might have been missed the first time. Look for any ways to get in, any blind spots, anything that looks out of place or wrong. If you find something, report directly to me. I want to know if you find anything. If you find a mouse hole, I want to know about it."

The agents nodded their understanding before breaking apart and heading towards the door. Frankie watched them leave before turning around...and coming face to face with Bianca Montgomery.

"What's going on?" the taller woman immediately asked, not giving the agent time to register her sudden appearance.

Frankie stared at her for a second, glimpsing Agent Jones standing off to the side. "Nothing is going on Ms. Montgomery."

Bianca just looked at her, indicating her disbelief through the raise of her eyebrows.

Frankie crossed her arms, "There's nothing going on Ms. Montgomery. I'm just going over a few things with my agents. Just simple protocol. There's nothing to worry about."

Bianca shook her head, "Don't lie to me." The squeaking of shoes on marble brought to her attention the number of people who could be, and most likely were, listening in on the conversation. They were still in a public lobby full of agents.

Bianca lowered her voice, a pleading tone coating her words as she looked into Frankie's eyes, "Please, don't keep secrets from me. Not again."

Frankie looked away from her. She unconsciously uncrossed her arms and raised a hand to run through her hair, scratching at her scalp. Those eyes. That voice. She shouldn't have that affect on the agent. But it was just like a living memory. Just like they were back at Opal's. Frankie being a closed shell and Bianca trying to coax her out.

"Please, Frankie." Bianca added, long fingers reaching out to tug at a jacket sleeve.

Silently, Frankie grasped her wrist and pulled. She lead the nearly distraught mother over to an empty corner. Bianca followed willingly, fear for her children leaving her needing answers.

"It's really nothing, Bianca." Frankie began quietly as they reached the small alcove. "We just received another letter. We are taking normal precautions, that's it."

Bianca stared at her, brown eyes searching for truth...for strength. A pale hand lifted up Frankie's face, encouraging their eyes to meet.

Brown met brown.  
What was only a few seconds felt like days, but finally Bianca dropped her hand. She walked away from Frankie and towards the elevators, Agent Jones stumbling to catch up.

Frankie took a deep breath and let it out slowly, attempting to calm her suddenly racing heart.

Lying was her job...and she did it well.


	7. Chapter 6

Frankie leaned back into her chair, one hand spinning a pen while the other held a phone to her ear.

"I understand. We're working on it; we just don't have a lot to work with right now."

"Agent Stone, from my understanding you have plenty of evidence. Are you using every possible avenue to obtain information and analyze what you have." the deep voice on the other end intoned.

Frankie sighed, "Yeah, I am. It's just taking a little longer than we thought to get this done."

"Why is that? This case should be a walk in the park."

"It's not like I'm exactly qualified to be here. This isn't my job." defensively bit out Frankie.

"You know why you're there, Agent Stone. Whether you like it or not, I assigned you to this case for a reason." the man scolded.

Frankie rolled her eyes, "Is there anything else I can do for you, sir? Or was this call just for a little morning chat?"

"That attitude will get you sent back to the board so fast your ass won't know what happened. This was the best option, and don't think I'm not sticking my neck out for you on this one. If you don't like it, go back to where you were and see what happens."

Frankie bit the inside of her cheek, stopping herself from possibly saying something that could come back to haunt her.

The man sighed on the other end of the line, "Just get this one solved, Stone...before the press gets wind and the whole thing blows up in our faces."

* * *

Bianca closed the manila folder and set it on top of the small pile to her left. She grabbed another folder from the mountainous pile to her right, the large stack of papers threatening to topple over at any second. It seemed that no matter how much she worked, the amount of things to get done only grew. The London deal, while promising to be a success, exponentially grew the amount of papers she needed to review and sign.

It had been a long day. Reese was gone when she woke up, having left early for the office. The night before she had said something about a breakfast meeting with some client. The children were in a terrible mood, as well. The mother had no idea why, but Gabrielle wouldn't stop crying and Miranda alternated between ignoring her mother and complaining about having to go to school. This was the first time ever that Miranda had adamantly not wanted to go to school...the young girl usually loved it. Besides, she was too young to start hating school!

The vision of Joan holding Gabrielle while she herded Miranda out the door stuck with her...or more the vision of the contingent of FBI agents following them stuck with her. Maybe that was why Miranda was in such a mood, and Gabby as well. They weren't used to having so many strangers surrounding them. Neither Bianca nor Reese had attempted to explain the sudden change. Come to think of it, she and Reese hadn't spoken about it either.

Bianca made a mental note to talk to her wife about it when she got home that night. Now though, she needed to concentrate on this paperwork.

Opening the folder she had just snatched, the brunette heard the door to her office open and shut. Footsteps made their way up to her desk and stopped, waiting patiently for her to finish the task at hand.

Initialing the top corner of the document, Bianca lifted her eyes to see Agent Jones planted at the edge of her desk. He was fidgeting slightly, his hands repeatedly playing with the knot of his tie.

"Agent Jones...is there something I can help you with?" Bianca finally asked after a few moments of silence.

Jones jumped to attention, his hands falling to his sides, "Oh yes...sorry. Agent Stone would like to meet with you, Mrs. Williams. But if you're busy..."

Worry flashed across the woman's face. "Is something wrong? Do you know why?"

Jones shook his head quickly, "No, nothing's wrong ma'am. Agent Stone would just like to meet with you. I can tell her you're busy, though. I'm sure it's nothing important."

Bianca pushed the papers off to the side and picked up her phone. She swiftly dialed an extension and waited.

"Bonjour Madam Williams. How may I assist you?" a soft voice answered.

"Marie, hold all of my calls. I will be out of the office." Bianca ordered before hanging up.

Jones watched as the CEO rapidly stood up, the chair rolling a few feet away from the forceful movement. The tall woman picked up her purse and coat. She shoved her arms into the sleeves while simultaneously lifting the purse strap onto her shoulder. Within seconds she was ready to leave.

The young agent nodded at her and ambled toward the door, Bianca at his heels. They left the office and sped down the hallway.

Bianca was both worried and curious. Had they caught the person? Was this all over?

She was anxious to know anything. Jones directed her into the elevator and pressed the button for the ground floor.

Why did Frankie need to talk with her?

A picture of the short girl appeared in her mind. She had been so calm yesterday. So in control. She was able to calm Bianca down and soothe her fears in a matter of moments. Everything was ok. There was no need to worry.

And Bianca had believed her. She couldn't help it. If there was one thing the Stone twin was able to do, it was make Bianca feel safe. Both of the Stone girls could do that. But Frankie...for some reason Frankie made her feel like nothing could touch her. She knew the older girl was brave...and tough...and well, at one point she felt like she could trust her with her life. That Frankie would protect her from anything and everything. Together, they could be whoever they wanted to be.

Bianca shook her head as the elevator doors opened. That was a long time ago, though. She was older now. She knew better.

But for some reason she couldn't help that feeling she got when their eyes had met.

Jones dutifully followed Bianca as she walked across the entrance foyer and opened the door for her when they reached the exit. Bianca stepped outside and pulled her coat around her body tighter. It was getting colder by the day, and the wind had picked up, blowing fallen leaves and errant sheets of paper around the streets. A black town car was parked in front of the building, the motor gently humming.

Movement to her left caught the brunette's eye, and she turned to find Frankie leaning sideways against the building. Her arms were cupped around her face. Ignoring Jones' motions towards the car, Bianca stepped over to the lead agent, confused by what she could be doing.

That's when she saw the flickering lighter in the small hand. A white cigarette dangled from pursed lips. Every time Frankie would flick her thumb, a small flame would ignite, but the wind would extinguish it before she could reach the end of the white stick. A deep look of frustration was etched on the agent's face as she turned her shoulder into the building, trying to use her body to block the pesky wind. Just as Bianca reached her, the flame finally stayed lit long enough to touch the edge of the cigarette.

Frankie inhaled deeply as she shoved the lighter into a pocket. Trails of smoke seeped out of her nose as a look of relief overtook the frustration.

Bianca watched all of this with slight concern. Since when did Frankie smoke? Did Frankie smoke back in Pine Valley?

Frankie turned to face Bianca and Jones, who had shuffled up beside his charge. She removed the stick from her mouth after inhaling deeply again.

She held the smoke in for a few seconds before exhaling, "It's alright Jones. I got it from here. You can go back in."

Jones nodded at her and left.

Frankie stuck the cigarette back in her mouth, the small object dangling from her lips as her eyes moved to land on Bianca, "Thank you for meeting with me, Ms. Montgomery. We'll actually be going to headquarters. I'm hoping you can assist me with something."

Bianca didn't hear her as she focused on the cigarette and the smoke trailing from the corner of the agent's mouth. "Why are you smoking? Those things will kill you, Frankie."

Frankie shrugged as she inhaled again, "Can't kill someone who's already dead."

Frankie's eyes widened as she registered what she had casually said and to whom she had said it. Bianca looked at her in horror, a gasp of shock escaping her lips.

"Oh jeez, Bianca...I didn't..." began Frankie, but Bianca cut her off with a raised hand.

"Why...why would you say something like that?" Bianca swallowed roughly, emotion glimmering in her eyes.

Frankie let the cigarette drop from her mouth and kicked it away as she moved closer to Bianca, "I...I wasn't thinking. I...I had to come to terms with it. With what happened to me. It's better if I can just laugh it off...joke about it."

Bianca reached out a hand, holding it against Frankie's chest and effectively stopping the other woman from moving any closer. Memories flashed before her eyes. Finding Frankie's dead body on Opal's floor, blood spilling out of her mouth. Waking up in the hospital and discovering that her girlfriend was gone. The memorial service David planned.

Emotions consumed her as she relived moments she had suppressed for so long. The hand on Frankie's chest clenched at the white cotton shirt, twisting into a fist.

Frankie could only stare at Bianca, unsure of what to do. She never really had to deal with something like this before. She didn't want to mess it up. She grit her teeth as she felt the fabric of her shirt pull at her shoulders and back. Bianca's haunted eyes were beginning to fill with tears.

She softly placed a hand on Bianca's clenched fist.

Watery brown eyes moved to the tender hand, blinking as their owner was brought back to the present. She slowly unclenched her hand, absently smoothing out the wrinkles caused by her touch.

"Bianca...what..." quietly asked Frankie, her eyes searching for Bianca's.

"Give...give me them." Bianca choked out, the lump in her throat suffocating her.

Frankie's eyebrows wrinkled in confusion, "Them? What..."

Not waiting for the other woman to understand, Bianca plunged a hand inside the jacket the agent was wearing, rooting around until she found the interior pocket.

Frankie watched, flabbergasted, as the younger girl ripped the pack of cigarettes from the pocket and violently threw them to the ground. An expensive heel smashed down on the already battered package, grinding the tobacco into indistinguishable dust.

Then, without a word, Bianca spun around and stormed off to the awaiting car, leaving a speechless Frankie in her wake.

The car pulled away from the offices of Cambias Industries about ten minutes later. Bianca was in the backseat, her legs crossed as she sat primly on the leather cushion. Frankie was slouched next to her, fingers tapping out a rhythm on her thigh. Bianca glanced up to see who was driving, her now tear-free eyes coming into contact with Agent Taylor, the man who had been in the car from the train station with her so long ago.

She forced a smile to her face, "Good afternoon, Agent Taylor."

His stoic features remained facing forward, a nod of the head and gruff, "Mrs. Williams," her only reply. She let out a breath and turned to stare out the window, missing as Taylor looked in the review mirror. Frankie was glaring at him, an eyebrow raised in question. He shook his head before turning his attention back to the road.

* * *

The drive to FBI headquarters was silent, both Bianca and Frankie unsure of what to say. Frankie was still stunned by the assault on her cigarettes. Bianca was almost embarrassed by her reaction to Frankie's words, the emotions still swirling throughout her being more confusing than ever.

They pulled up to the bland building and Frankie exited, opening the car door for Bianca as well. Taylor drove off to park as the two women moved towards the building. Frankie noiselessly escorted Bianca through the building and into the small office provided to the team. She noticed about four agents in the room as Frankie ushered her into her own office.

When Bianca entered the even smaller closet of a room, the first thing she saw were the papers spread out across the top of the desk. Agent Johnson was sitting behind the desk, a tape recorder and note pad laid out in front of him. Bianca felt Frankie move away as Johnson looked up, a reassuring smile on his face.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Williams. My name is Agent Johnson. We were hoping you might be able to help us." His eyes ticked over to his boss before returning to the woman before him, "These are all the letters sent by the unsub. If you are willing, we would like you to look over them. Read them and tell us if you recognize anything...if anything stands out to you. You might be able to help us identify who is doing this."

Bianca took in the scene before her, processing what the man had just said. They were asking her for help. _Her_. She had never seen these before. The letters that had been sent by the stalker. The letters that threatened her family.

She half-turned to look at Frankie, needing...she wasn't sure what. Frankie was leaning back against the wall, one foot resting flat against the plaster. A hand was playing with the collar of her shirt, fidgeting with the cotton edges.

Feeling eyes on her, Frankie peered up to catch brown orbs. She offered a crooked grin and nodded towards the papers on the desk.

With a deep breath, Bianca turned back to the papers and picked up the first one.

_You are the devil's whore. You only bring darkness and evil to the world. I will kill you and all you care for. You are nothing, and soon you and your family will be nothing but dust in the wind. I will tear out your hearts and feed them to the dogs. Your soulless bodies will glisten my knife with your tainted blood._

Bianca gasped, the horrific words burning across the page.

Johnson shot her a look of compassion, "Don't be afraid, ma'am. You are all safe. Do not worry, the unsub is only trying to scare you."

"If he thinks that's scary, he clearly hasn't met Erica Kane." Frankie muttered to herself.

The sarcastic comment reached Bianca's ears, unwittingly bringing a small smile to her face. That's just like a Stone, to make a joke during a serious moment.

* * *

After an hour of reading about blood and death, Bianca set the final letter down, and rubbed at her eyes.

"I'm sorry, but I can't think of anything that could help you. I wish I could, but I can't."

"That's ok." quickly assured Johnson as he picked up his note pad and recorder, "It's our job to catch the bad guys, not yours. Don't worry, ma'am."

With a nod to his superior, he exited the office, closing the door behind him.

Bianca ran a hand over the numerous pages on the desk, her eyes flitting across words. There had to be something there. Something that could catch this man.

Her breathing was slightly erratic, and her hand shook as it ghosted past the threats. She was clearly rattled, the warnings against her family causing more anguish than she would voice.

Frankie took all of this in from her corner. Knowing Bianca wouldn't stop until she found something, the agent pushed away from the wall and strode over to her. She swallowed, knowing she should offer comfort but not used to the action.

Finally, she raised a hand, aiming to press gently on Bianca's back. Hearing Bianca take in a shaky breath, she stopped herself, the hand dropping lifelessly away. She couldn't do this.

Before Frankie could pull away, Bianca turned to her, having seen the halting movements.

Their eyes locked.

A porcelain white hand stretched out with aching slowness, it's palm resting against the side of a smooth tan neck.

The hand whipped away as the door to the office burst open, Agent Johnson barreling in with his hands full of folders.

Without looking up he exclaimed, "Agent Stone, Agent Campolini called. He wanted to speak with you about the eyeball that was sent with the last letter."

He looked up to meet the horrified look of one Frankie Stone.

"Eyeball? What eyeball?" asked Bianca as she looked from Johnson to Frankie, "What eyeball, Frankie?"

Sensing a shift in the room, Johnson scrambled away, the door slamming shut behind him.

Bianca's eyes narrowed, her voice full of steel, as the older girl dodged her gaze, "What eyeball, Frankie? You told me it was just another letter!"

Frankie looked anywhere but at Bianca, desperately thinking up a way to explain.

"Frankie, look at me!" shouted Bianca, fire in her eyes.

"It's not what you think." Frankie got out, still not looking at the suddenly enraged woman.

"Not what I think? _Not what I think?_ You lied to me! Again!"

Frankie finally looked at Bianca, meeting the penetrating gaze, "I had to. I couldn't tell you."

"You couldn't tell me? You wouldn't tell me is more like it."

"No Bianca, I couldn't tell you. We knew nothing about it, and I didn't want to scare you. I was trying to..."

"Protect me?" Bianca finished for her, a humorless smile on her face, "You weren't trying to protect me, Frankie. You were doing what you do best, lie and cheat and play games with me."

"I didn't want you panicking like you are now!"

"I was panicking! I've been scared for my family since the beginning. Something you wouldn't know about."

Frankie clenched her jaw at the insult, "I would have told you when it became relevant to your safety."

"And I'm supposed to believe that? You've been lying to me this whole time, Frankie!"

"I thought..."

"I don't care what you thought!" interrupted Bianca, "You should have told me. I needed to know. From now on, you'll tell me everything! I don't care what you think. Everything you know, I'll know. You'll report to me."

"Hey, wait a minute." Frankie pointed a finger, "This is still my investigation."

Bianca stared hard at her old lover, "I don't trust you. I don't want a con-artist near my family, because that's all you are, Frankie. That's all you ever have been. That's all you ever will be."

Silence filled the room as Frankie eyed her.

"That's not what this is all really about, is it?" the agent finally said.

"What are you talking about?"

"This is about you needing to be in charge...exert some form of power. All this time...all these insults. The anger. Trying to order me around. That's all it really is. What are you afraid of, Bianca?"

Bianca scoffed, wrapping her arms around her body, "That's rich, you psychoanalyzing me. You wouldn't ever talk with me about anything."

"That's what it is, isn't it."

Bianca shook her head, "You don't know what you're talking about."

"No, that's what this all is." Frankie took a step towards her, "Why won't you trust me, Bianca? Let me handle it?"

"Because I can do it! I'm not poor helpless fragile Bianca! Not anymore!" the younger girl exploded.

"I never thought..."

"Spare me, Frankie. That's how you saw me. That's how everyone saw me. Bianca, the girl who gets walked all over and automatically forgives. The one who always needed to be saved. The one who couldn't stop..." she couldn't finish, a large sob taking over. She collapsed into a chair, emotion shaking her body.

Frankie stood there stunned, "No Bianca. I never...you were never poor or fragile. It's easy...to run and hide. But to be open and caring like you are...like you were...that takes real courage. I wanted...I wanted to talk to you. I just didn't know how."

She softly walked over and knelt in front of Bianca, the taller woman now sobbing into her hands. Frankie carefully wrapped her arms around her. She felt as wet hands grabbed at her shirt. Bianca hid her face into the crook of the agent's neck, the comforting smell of amber enveloping her senses.

Frankie closed her eyes at the embrace, both wanting to feel this and terrified of what the feelings were.

"Shhh, it's ok. It's ok, Biancala." she gently whispered into an ear.

Bianca moved from her place at the crook of Frankie's neck, pressing her forehead against the other woman's. Eyes clenched shut, she took a shuddering breath. Memories flashed in her brain. Frankie could be so gentle. When it was just the two of them, she could be so soft and gentle.

Bianca blinked open her eyes. She was met with concerned baby browns.

No, this wasn't right.

Bianca violently pushed against the body wrapped around her, causing Frankie to stumbled and hit the floor.

"No, you're not going to do this, again! You can't take advantage of me this time. I'm not fragile, and you are not going to walk all over me!"

She stood up from the chair and tore her coat and purse from their resting spot. She stormed out of the office, not looking back.


	8. Chapter 7

"Damn it." angrily seethed Frankie. She ran a shaky hand through her hair, tugging at the ends in frustration.

That's it. She was done with this. This whole crazy emotional scene was just not her thing. She didn't need it...and she sure as hell didn't want it. Her life was mixed up enough without having to go through the Pine Valley way of life.

She pushed up onto her feet, features hardening by the second. She had a job to do, and that's it. She'd solve this case and leave. Life would go back to the way it was supposed to be. Her doing what she does best, and everyone in her past believing she was dead.

She needed a cigarette.

The agent dragged her body to the other side of her desk and sat down. She bent forward and picked up the phone, dialing the number by heart.

"Campolini." the the other agent greeted.

"What do you got for me?" questioned Frankie as she rested her elbows on the desk.

"We sent the eyeball off to the lab. They pushed us to the front of the line and got us some information." answered the man.

"Good information?"

"Only the best for us, Stone."

"Well, don't leave me hanging in suspense. I might just fall out of my chair." sarcastically said the brunette.

"They know whose eye it is. Traced it to a missing person."

Frankie's eyebrows raised in interest, "Who is it? Did you send a team over there?"

Campolini chuckled, "That's why I'm calling you, Stone. The missing guy is from Lyon, France."

Frankie's eyes widened at that, her mind already planning. "You're kidding me."

"Nope, looks like you get to finally play a little. Just let me know what you find out, alright?"

Yeah, sure." Frankie mumbled, already standing up, "I'll call you when we get some answers."

She hung up the phone, swiftly sliding around her desk and rushing out of her office. As she entered the main area, she was greeted with a group of her agents standing around one desk. They all looked up with guilt and curiosity as she moved towards them, confirming her suspicions that they were gossiping.

"Taylor, get over here. You're coming with me." ordered Frankie as she heard the fax machine buzz to life, "Johnson, hand me that incoming fax."

Johnson bounced over to the machine and swiped up the paper. He hesitantly approached his superior, the sheet held out in front of him, "Agent Stone...ma'am I didn't..."

Frankie stole the paper from his hands, "Agent Taylor and I are going to Lyon. Johnson, you're in charge while I'm gone. Keep up with the hourly check-ins. Call me if anything happens."

As Taylor slipped on his jacket, Frankie skimmed over the information sent by Campolini.

"I really need a cigarette." she muttered under her breath as she felt a headache coming on. Seeing one of the agents opening a pack of gum, she shot out a hand, grasping one of the pink sticks. She popped it into her mouth as Taylor indicated he was ready to leave. It would have to do till she could get another pack.

Frankie looked over the assembled agents, her cold eyes making them stand at attention. Then, with a nod of the head, she was gone, Taylor right behind.

* * *

Bianca staggered into her apartment, the door swinging shut behind her. Her head felt fuzzy and her eyes were still slightly puffy from crying. She carelessly dropped her purse and coat next to the door, her feet leading her into the living room.

There she was met with the sight of Reese and the children huddled on the sofa. Gabby situated on Reese's lap, held securely in place by her parent's arms. The blonde was cooing at the little girl, making faces and poking her belly.

Miranda sat off to the side, flipping through a storybook. She rolled her pretty brown eyes, annoyed at both the attention her little sister was getting and the way she was getting it. Reese's faces were more pathetically scary than funny...and didn't Reese know poking people was mean? Joan always said not to poke people, it wasn't nice.

Turning the page again, she mouthed along with the words she was reading. It was her favorite part. The prince was gonna ride up on his white horse and save the princess from the evil dragon. She looked over at the picture next to the words, gazing at Prince Phillip protecting Sleeping Beauty from the fire-breathing dragon the witch had turned into. As she picked at the edge of the paper, ready for the next part, Miranda wondered why the evil sorceress looked so familiar.

The sound of Reese cooing distracted the child, and she glanced up to look at the other two on the couch. This allowed her to see Bianca standing at the entrance to the room, a small smile on her face.

"Mommy!" gleefully cried Miranda, excited to see her mother. Hopefully, she would save Gabrielle from the poking and cooing fate her younger sister was being subjected to.

"Hi, baby." Bianca replied, her smile growing wider at her daughter's happiness. If there was one thing that could bring her out of a slump, it was her children.

Reese raised her eyes, "Hey honey, welcome home."

Bianca stepped towards her wife. Gabrielle blubbered and held her arms out to the other woman. The tall brunette scooped her arm into her arms as she sat down on the couch, the tiny girl clinging to her neck.

Reese leaned in for a kiss, pressing her lips hard against her wife's.

"Mmm, what are you doing home so early?" asked Bianca as their lips parted.

"What? I can't be home with my children and wife?" Reese pulled back.

Bianca reached a hand out to her, "No, no...I just meant you're usually at work still. It's a nice surprise."

Reese smiled and leaned back in for another kiss.

"Mommy, why are your eyes red?" a small voice piped up.

The two adults broke their embrace and turned to look at Miranda.

"You look sad." added the girl as she closed her book. Sleeping Beauty could wait.

Reese took in the red rimmed puffy eyes of the other woman, concerning flooding her voice, "She's right. Are you ok?"

Bianca tried to laugh it off, not wanting to worry her daughter. "I'm fine. It's just allergies."

"Allergies? Henri's mom says he has that; that's why he always sneezes when Claire's cat goes near him. But mommy...you've never sneezed at Claire's cat." Miranda pointed out.

Bianca gazed at her daughter. Miranda was sometimes too smart for her own good.

"Miranda, why don't you go get ready for bed? It's your bedtime." Reese cut in, sparing a glance at her partner's child.

"But mom..." began the littlest Montgomery.

"No Mimo, listen to Reese. Go brush your teeth, I'll be there in a minute to tuck you in." said Bianca.

Miranda huffed as she jumped off the sofa. She just wanted to know if her mom was alright. Stupid Reese...why was her mother always agreeing with her? She stomped out of the room, her hair whipping about in true diva like fashion.

She could be such a Kane sometimes.

After the little girl left, Reese turned back to her wife. She carefully grasped Gabrielle and pulled her away from the visibly conflicted woman. "She'll be fine, Bianca. She's just upset at not being the center of attention. She's young; she'll grow out of it."

Bianca tore her gaze away from her retreating daughter, the sound of a slamming door indicating the girl was in her room.

"Bianca, what's wrong?" inquired Reese, drawing in the brunette's attention.

"It's nothing...I just got a call from the FBI today. They wanted me to look over some letters for them. Ones from the stalker."

Reese pulled the woman into her arms, "I'm sorry, honey. That must have been horrible, having to read what that person wrote."

Bianca nodded her head, the words replaying through her mind.

A few minutes of silence passed before Reese spoke again."Did you meet the agent in charge?"

Bianca blinked, "Why?"

She felt Reese shrug, "I was just wondering. I haven't met him yet."

Bianca pulled herself away from the blonde. She did not want to talk about Frankie. Not now, and especially not with her wife. "I don't think it really matters. Whoever it is, is not the one actually out her protecting us. It's more important to know who's with Miranda and Gabby."

Reese nodded as she placed a hand on Bianca's arm, "You're right. I just thought it'd be nice to know who it was."

The brunette felt arms wrap around her and a kiss pressed against her face, "If you do meet them, though, can you tell them to lay-off on all the agents? They're everywhere, and I know they are making Miranda and Gabby nervous."

Bianca's features narrowed in confusion, "Tell them to back off?"

"They are interrupting our lives, honey. The girls shouldn't have a bunch of armed men following them to school. I don't understand why they are here, anyway. Nothing is happening. No one has tried to do anything to us."

Bianca closed her eyes in thought as she felt another kiss pressed into her skin.

* * *

Taylor and Frankie crossed the street and entered the large apartment complex. While the train ride to Lyon was rather short, they were not able to get tickets till the next day.

Lyon was a beautiful city. It wasn't Paris, but it was still expansive, with charming old buildings nestled among the more modern structures. It was the second largest city in France, the notes told Frankie. It was a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and was known as the silk capital of the world. She didn't really care that much, she only planned to spend a few hours at most there. Besides, capital of silk...not the place she would hope to vacation at.

The two FBI agents walked straight to the elevators, a car appearing almost instantaneously. Taylor pressed the button for the sixth floor, and as the doors closed he faced Frankie.

"So, what happened with Kane's kid? I heard she ran out of the place like the building was on fire."

Frankie simply ignored him as the elevator doors opened on their floor. They meandered down the hallway until they reached number 626. Frankie knocked on the door, her knuckles banging out a quick rhythm on the wood.

They stepped back as the door swung open. An elderly woman, possibly in her seventies, stood before them. Her crinkling eyes were hidden behind magnified glasses, their golden chain draped around her neck.

"Bon jour." greeted Taylor with a slight smile, "Parlez-vous anglais?"

"Oui." answered the woman with a nod.

Frankie and Taylor reached into their pockets, bringing out and flipping their wallets open to flash their badges.

"Pouvons nous entrer?" Taylor sought permission to enter the apartment.

The woman's eyes widened at the flash of gold, "Oui, of course. Please."

She moved back and opened the door wider, allowing the two agents to enter her home.

The place was small. The living room only fit a sofa, chair, and small television set. The kitchen could be seen off to the side, and the agents assumed the closed door on the other side was the bedroom. Knick-knacks and blankets littered the area, causing a sense of coziness to encase the apartment.

"Would you like drink?" the woman offered, indicating the kitchen.

"No, thank-you." replied Taylor as Frankie shook her head.

The woman shrugged and moved over to the worn chair. She slowly lowered her aged body onto the furniture, wrapping a blanket around her legs. She motioned for the agents to sit on the sofa. The two followed her instructions, placing themselves on the edge of the cushions.

Taylor reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a folded picture. He held it up for the woman to see. It was of a young man, his bright smile flashing across a tanned face.

"Do you know this man?"

The woman held out a shaking hand, moisture filling her eyes, "Oui, my son Jean-Paul. He has been missing for a month."

Taylor handed her the picture. She focused on the face looking back at her. Her hands cradled the object almost reverently.

Frankie turned her attention away from the old woman, scanning the apartment instead.

"Can you tell us about him?" asked Taylor, wondering why his superior was basically ignoring the old woman.

"He...he was a nice boy...a good boy. He had many friends. He was good in school."

"Did he know anyone from the States? Anyone from Pennsylvania?"

The woman shook her head, "No, no one."

"He had a lot of friends. None of them were from America? He didn't know anyone at school from there?"

"Non, he did not know anyone from there. All from here, his home."

The agents left an hour later, Taylor having exhausted any possible questions he could think of. They still knew nothing. None of his questions brought concrete helpful answers.

Confusion tinged his voice as the two entered the elevator, "Why didn't you ask any questions?"

Frankie shrugged as she shoved her hands into her pockets, "That lady didn't know anything."

Taylor frowned, "How do you know? She could be lying to us."

"She's not. Trust me, I can spot a con. She wasn't one."


	9. Chapter 8

"Ok Johnson, what's the update?"

Frankie held the cell phone up to her ear, the other hand resting on the steering wheel. She and Taylor had arrived back in Paris that morning, having spent more time than anticipated scoping out Lyon and trying to track down clues pertaining to Jean-Paul and why is eyeball was sitting in a lab in DC after having arrived on Erica Kane's doorstep.

As Johnson began going down the list of agents and their whereabouts, Frankie shoved the phone between her head and shoulder, balancing the small object as she reached for both the file lying on the passenger seat and the coffee in the cup holder. She pressed the manila folder against the steering wheel, holding it in place with her driving hand as she flipped it open and took a sip of her hot beverage. A picture of the Kane-Montgomery family smiled back at her as she skimmed through the pages.

"Why would some French guy's eyeball be sent to you?" muttered Frankie to herself as she sipped at her beverage again.

"Agent Stuart has been assigned to guard Reese Williams. While he has arrived at the office building, but he is not actually inside the building."

Frankie almost spit her coffee out at Johnson's hesitant announcement.

"What do you mean he's not in the building!" she yelled into the phone.

She heard the agent scrambling papers as she placed the coffee back in the holder and angrily tossed the folder into the backseat. "He reported that Bianca Williams ordered him to only follow and stay outside the building. He was told to back-off. His presence was making them uncomfortable."

Frankie squeezed the steering wheel, her knuckles turning white as she tried to rein in her anger, "Tell him to get his ass in that building right now! We do not work for Bianca Montgomery. You take your orders from me, not her."

"Williams, you mean." Johnson corrected.

"What?"

"Bianca Williams. It's not Montgomery...it's Williams."

Frankie bit the inside of her cheek as she turned the car onto one of the quiet avenues leading to Cambias Industries offices. "I know what her name is! Agent Johnson, if Agent Stuart is not in that building in five seconds..."

Her voice trailed off as she glanced over to the sidewalk.

No way.

No fucking way.

Her foot slammed on the brakes, causing the car to jerk to a stop and papers to go flying.

There on the sidewalk, floating along as if nothing was happening, was Bianca...ALONE!

Frankie spun the wheel and hit the gas, shooting the car over to the side of the road. She sped into an open spot behind a volvo, the brakes screaming as she slammed to a stop. She threw open the car door and almost fell out in her haste. Livid, she ran up to Bianca.

"What the hell are you doing!"

Bianca turned, startled at the sudden shout. She rolled her eyes as she saw the short woman sprinting up to her.

"Where is Jones? Why are you out here by yourself?"

"Calm down, Agent Stone. Jones is at the office still. I'm just picking a sandwich up for lunch."

"He's at the office?" Frankie breathed out harshly. She reached for her cellphone, but remembered it had smashed against the dashboard when she raced to park the car.

"It's fine, calm down. No one is going to attack me out here in the open. It's daylight, and there are people around." Bianca said.

Frankie stared at her, flabbergasted. What was wrong with this woman? Could she really be thinking that stupidly right now? Bianca was supposed to be smart.

Shaking her head in disbelief as she roughly grabbed the taller brunette's arm and yanked her towards the car, "Get in the car."

"What are you doing? Let go." ordered Bianca as she tried to tear her arm away.

Frankie just tightened her grip as she stormed over to the black vehicle.

"Ow...you're hurting me." Bianca twisted her arm, trying to loosen the hold.

"Oh...I'm sorry...does that hurt? I wonder if it hurts as much as a bullet in your head! 'Cause that's what could happen if a target is just walking to get a sandwich." Frankie opened the passenger side door and all but shoved the CEO into the seat.

Spotting her abandoned phone, the agent bent down and picked it up before slamming the door closed, silencing Bianca's reply.

Dialing the number, she walked over to the driver's side. "Jones...get your ass downstairs and meet me at the entrance. I have no idea what is wrong with you...but if you ever do this again I will transfer you so fast you won't know what happened. You'll be guarding corn in Iowa. Corn in Iowa, Jones! Don't mess with me."

She listened while opening the car door, then, "I don't care what she said. She's not your boss. I am. Never listen to the target. Never! Now get down there, we'll be there soon."

She hung up the phone as she sat down and closed the door. She ignored the death glare being aimed at her by burning brown eyes and started the car.

"Who do you think you are?" seethed Bianca as they pulled away from the curb.

Frankie ignored her as she reached for the coffee. A sip confirmed her undeniable fear...the coffee was cold now. With a sigh she put it back in the holder.

"Don't you dare ignore me, Mary-Francis."

"It's Frankie. I don't know how many times I have to tell you that."

"Because you're so good at names. My last name is Williams now."

"Good for you, Princess Williams."

"You always had an attitude." Bianca shook her head.

"Yeah, I'm the one with the attitude."

"I don't know who you think you are, but there is no way you can treat me like that."

"Like what?" Frankie stopped at a red light.

"Like some criminal! Throwing me around...maybe that's what you're used to, but you cannot do that to me. You think Jones is in trouble? I'm going to have you transferred so fast..."

"Oh yeah, who you gonna call, Bianca? My boss? Here," she tossed her phone into Bianca's lap, "call him up and tell him how little princess Bianca didn't like being told she had to have a guard while being stalked."

"You're such a bitch."

"And you got quite a mouth. I don't remember you talking that way."

"Like what? An adult? I am the CEO of Cambias Industries! If you think some nobody FBI agent is going to treat me that way and get away with it, you got another thing coming."

"Oooh, I'm so scared." Frankie pretended to shiver.

"You better be. You don't know what I'm like, Frankie. I will not take this attitude. I was just fine until you came barging in."

"Wow, Bianca...you don't take crap from anybody anymore do you? You're big strong Bianca...nobody can hurt you...not even some crazy stalker. Hell, your the CEO of one of the world's largest companies. Your mom is Erica Kane. You have so much money in the bank, you can probably buy a couple of islands. With all that...there's no way anything could happen to you." Frankie stared straight ahead, her tone sarcastic.

Bianca looked at her and huffed, "That's right."

Frankie finally looked over at her, eyes pinning the younger woman to her seat, "Then why did you forgive Reese?"

Bianca was shocked at the seemingly unrelated question, "W-What?"

Frankie glanced back at the road before returning her eyes to the passenger, "If you're so strong and independent, why did you forgive Reese? I know what happened. I know everything that happened."

Bianca felt her heart begin to pound in her chest, "I'm in love with her."

"Bullshit." Frankie turned back to the road, pushing down the painful emotion that popped up at Bianca's declaration, "You got back with her because she can't hurt you."

Bianca swallowed hard, the sound of her pounding heart in her ears, "She won't hurt me. She would never hurt me."

Frankie let out a harsh laugh, "I think she already did that, Bianca. Of course, she didn't really hurt you...did she. You don't let anyone in. You shut people out so they can't hurt you. You've been making stupid decisions, trying to act like you're tough and grown-up and don't need anybody's approval. It's not a good feeling, acting like that. I should know; I was just like you for a long time. Know what it got me? Nothing."

Bianca closed her eyes, not wanting to hear Frankie's speech, "You're way off base."

"Yeah, sure I am. You haven't made stupid choices. I mean, you only had a kid with your brother-in-law without talking to your sister about it, just because you can." Frankie shot a look over Bianca, "That's just weird by the way. That kid's gonna have a whacked out family tree."

"Gabrielle needed to be related to Miranda." Bianca replied.

"Uh...you had both kids, right? I may not be a doctor, but that seems like a relation right there. It's cool, though, that Gabrielle is both Miranda's sister and cousin. If all else fails, I'm pretty sure she can get a reality TV show."

"Shut up." Bianca breathed out.

Frankie ignored her, on a roll now, "How did your sister feel about that? Must be crazy to find out your husband had a child with your sister. Did she fight with you about that? Did any of your family point out how crazy that is?"

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"No Bianca, you've been yelling at me ever since you found out I was here. I'm tired of it. So yeah...I'm calling you out on what you've been doing. You are messing things up, Bianca. Anybody with half a brain can see that. I've been here a month and can see you're making stupid decisions...trying to prove some point."

"Who are you to judge me! You ran away, faked your death. You slept with JR!" Bianca shouted.

"I didn't sleep with JR, and there were reasons why I did what I did."

"Yeah, I'm sure you had great reasons. What? Did you realize you weren't gay?"

"Is that what you think? Really?"

"What were your reasons, Frankie?"

"Like it really matters to you."

Bianca leaned closer to Frankie, "No, you want to attack me and my life, it's only fair we talk about you. Get it all out in the open. How have you been living your life, Frankie?"

Frankie pulled the car over to the side of the road, directing all of her attention on Bianca. "I'm just trying to help, for some reason. I guess I was wrong. You have the perfect life. Fine. I'm only here to protect you. You can do what you want, but do not interfere with my investigation or your detail. Just let me and my agents do our job. The more you let us do, the faster I'll be gone, and you'll never have to see me again."

"That's just like you. When the conversation is about you, you don't want to talk. That's what you'd like, isn't it? Me letting you do whatever you want?"

Silence filled the car as Frankie looked out the windshield, her jaw clenched tight.

Finally, she broke the silence, "You have no idea what I want."

Bianca chuckled bitterly, "I don't think I ever did."

Frankie turned in her seat, fully facing the younger woman, "You knew more than you thought you did."

Bianca shook her head, "What does that even mean?"

Frankie took a deep breath, "Whether you want to believe it or not, you know why I did what I did. Why I went away. I had to...for you and me."

Bianca felt the tension change as she met Frankie's emotional brown eyes, "I was young..."

"We both were. Even if I tried to act like I wasn't, we both were kids. But that doesn't mean that..." Frankie trailed off, unable to formulate the words.

"That what, Frankie?"

"You know Bianca, I look at your life and I can't help but wonder what it is you're doing. You could do anything, be anything. At times it just seems like...like you're living someone else's life."

"Yeah? Like who?"

Frankie shook her head in disbelief, "Ordering people around, doing what you want damn the consequences, hell...even your accusations towards me...it all screams one person. I never knew there was so much Kane in you."

"I'm not my mother!" yelled Bianca, her palm slamming against the dashboard.

"Why so defensive? Did I strike a nerve?"

"Why are you being so judgmental?" shot back Bianca

"I'm not being judgmental. I'm just saying what I see. Trying to give some help, because it looks like you need it."

"I don't need your help. What makes you think I'd want your help?"

"I don't know. I was never the smart one. I ignorantly thought it would do some good."

"Some good? Why would you think that? Why would you even try to help me?"

"Maybe because I care about you!" Frankie's emotions got the better of her as she shouted. Realizing what she had said, her eyes widened.

"You care about me?" Bianca laughed, no humor in her actions.

Frankie, head shaking, blindly grasped for the door handle, the barrier swinging open a second later. "Whatever, I don't want to talk about it." the agent mumbled as she practically threw her body out of the car. She slammed the door closed and walked away from the vehicle, her hands restlessly jammed into pockets.

"No you don't. We are going to finish this, Frankie. Don't walk away from me." Bianca hastily chased after her.

Frankie ignored her. She was angry. Angry at Bianca for fighting back. Angry at herself for losing control. She was so angry her hands trembled as she pulled out the brand new pack of cigarettes. She flipped open the top and fished out one of the sticks, shoving it into her mouth with ease. A hand came out of nowhere, ripping the cigarette from her mouth as another whirled her around.

"God damn you Frankie Stone! You are not running away from me again."

Instinctually, Frankie placed a hand on the taller brunette's chest, pushing her away. Bianca stumbled back, surprised at the unexpected shove. The two stood there, breathing hard as they faced each other.

"We need to talk." Bianca broke the silence, her tone quieting down.

Frankie looked away, her hand coming up to fiddle with her blazer collar.

Bianca slowly took a step closer to the visible upset agent, "We need to talk about what happened."

"I'm sorry." Frankie began, still not looking at the other woman, "I shouldn't have said what I did. It's none of my business, and I spoke in anger."

Bianca could feel the agent closing up, shutting off her emotions, "No, don't do that. Don't shut me out."

"Ms. Montgomery, if you would get back in the car..."

"No!" Bianca reached out, curling her fingers into the rumpled cotton of Frankie's shirt and pulling the agent in closer, "We were both angry and we said a lot of things we shouldn't have. But we need to talk...I don't want to fight you anymore." Tears welled up in her eyes, "You came back to me."

Frankie swallowed roughly, "I can't...I can't do this."

"What can't you do?"

"I can't talk about myself. I can't talk about any of this."

Bianca took a deep breath. "Was it true? What you said...was it true?"

"Was what true?"

"That you care about me?"

Frankie looked her in the eye, truthfulness shining through, "One of the most true things I have ever said in my life."

Bianca broke.

It almost felt like everything had been leading up to this point: Frankie's murder trial, Leo's death, Maggie's rejection, the rape, Lena, Babe and losing Miranda, Maggie cheating, Zoe's issues, Kendall's coma, the fight over Gabrielle, Zach and Reese...it all led to this. She had been bottling hidden emotions up for so long. Acting like she was in complete control, that she could move on from everything and not be fazed. But people forgot how big her heart really was. It had finally reached it's bursting point, and that one small sentence caused it to break wide open.

With a cry, Bianca's knees buckled underneath her and she went crashing into Frankie. The agent, shocked by the outburst, wrapped her arms securely around the sobbing form, and she gently lowered them to the ground.

"Come on Bianca, it's ok. I'm sorry. I didn't want...I didn't mean..." Frankie tried to console her, unprepared for such a display.

Bianca buried her face into Frankie's neck, "Why did you have to leave? Why did you leave me? I loved you so much. Why wasn't I enough?"

"You were more than enough." Frankie whispered in her ear, choking back her own tears, "I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt you. I didn't want to leave. It was never because of you. You were the only reason I wanted to stay. Don't cry Bianca-la, you know I hate it when you cry."

Bianca burrowed deeper into the strong arms, tears streaming faster at the sound of the name only Frankie called her.

And there the two sat, bodies entwined, both wondering where they went from here.


	10. Chapter 9

Frankie lifted the cup of coffee to her lips, taking a huge gulp as Campolini's voice droned on in her ear. While all of their phone calls were important to keeping communication alive within the investigation, she was having trouble concentrating on this one. Her mind was bouncing back and forth. One minute it would be focused on work and deliberating who the stalker could be. The next minute it was remembering the shouting match that had turned into a total emotional break-down for Bianca Montgomery.

That day's events were still fresh in her mind, even though they happened almost a week ago. The cruel words felt like slashes against her body. Bianca's desperate cries echoed in her ears, drowning out the surrounding masses as her heart broke with the visions of the brunette's tears flashing before her eyes.

It took a while, but Bianca was finally able to calm down enough that Frankie could transport her to the offices and hand her off to Jones. Then, she did the only thing she could do...she lit a cigarette and drove off to the closest bar that none of her agents would see her at. Four beers and half a bottle of bourbon later, she was back in the office, drunk as hell and not knowing what to do. She never admitted to having excellent coping skills.

But, the days had gone by. Bianca was wrapped up in the London project and Frankie was battling with the Lyon police to get the files on Jean-Paul's disappearance. Both were so consumed with work that they had not seen each other since that day. Sadly enough, Frankie was happy about that. She had no idea how to react to what occurred between the two of them. Well...that's not completely true...she knew that it never should have happened. She never should have become so unprofessional. She took her eye off the ball...and now Bianca was in her head nonstop. As an agent temporarily assigned in France, she should leave her ex alone...but she never was too good at following the rules.

The clearing of a throat brought her mind back to the phone call. Campolini's deep voice sounded down the line, "Do you have anything on the eyeball?"

Frankie frowned, "No. We're trying to get the case files from the local police...but for some reason they're being very uncooperative. We can only do so much until we have those documents. Right now it's a dead end."

That was true. For some reason the Lyon police balked at the idea of giving the unsolved case over to the American FBI. A legal fight over documents was not something she wanted or needed to occur with this investigation. It would only bring attention from the media, which they had thankfully been able to avoid so far. But, they needed those files. She made a mental note to have Johnson give them a call again later that day.

"Uh...Frankie...you're not gonna believe what I have to tell you." hesitantly began Campolini, " I sure wish you had found something on the eye."

Frankie's eyebrows furrowed, "What is it?"

Campolini took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "Erica Kane is having a...I can't believe I'm gonna say this...dance marathon contest thing."

Frankie's eyes widened as she burst into laughter, her loud chuckles bouncing around the room. This was...so funny! The agent bent forward, one hand holding her stomach as she gasped for air, unable to stop.

"This woman...is...insane." Frankie choked out between chuckles. "She's being stalked...has an eyeball sent to her home...and she puts on a dance contest?"

Images of Erica Kane doing the chicken dance popped into her mind, and tears formed in the woman's eyes, "Why?"

"It's for starving children in Africa or something."

"Since when has Erica Kane cared about starving children in Africa? What is she going to send them...lipstick? Oh...you look emaciated...but if we put a little make-up here you look like a model!" Frankie mocked, unable to believe that someone as self-absorbed as Erica Kane even knew Africa existed.

"I'm right there with ya. I tried to tell her no, but that wasn't happening. That Kane woman hasn't listened to me since I got here. She actually told me what I was gonna do."

"That sounds like Erica Kane."

Campolini sighed, "There's going to be a large number of people participating in and running this thing. A lot of people are going to be around her because of this contest. You know we've had to heighten security since the eye. With all these extra people getting close to her...we need more agents, Stone. Washington refuses to send us anymore..."

Frankie finished his thought, "you're going to need my people."

"No one over there has really been targeted at all. You don't even get mentioned in the letters anymore."

Frankie ran a hand across her face and through her hair, scratching at her head.

* * *

It took a few days, but the office was eerily empty now. Frankie sat on a desk, her hands twirling a pencil as five agents gathered around her. Seeing them all arrive, the short agent slid off the desk and stood up, leaning back against the wooden furniture.

She crossed her arms as the agent's gave her their attention. "This is it. Agent Jones, Johnson, Taylor, Stuart, and Barnes. Look around. We are the only ones left to handle this investigation in Paris. Everyone else will be assisting the Pennsylvania section. There's only six of us. This will not be easy. It's actually going to be really tough. We have to both protect and investigate with this highly reduced group."

She crossed one foot in front of the other as she continued, "Right now we have two options. We can either do what we have been doing and try to keep up the image that there are a lot of agents around guarding the Williams. This would, of course, work as a warning against anyone thinking about attacking the targets. We would have to make it seem like we have way more people than we actually do. We would have to be visible at all times. Make them thing six people is actually thirty."

She took a breath, absently scratching at her arm, "Or...we go undercover. Give whoever is out there the feeling that the FBI has completely left. We would all be in street clothes, blending in to the environment. Whoever might be out there will hopefully not recognize us, banking on the fact that there were a lot of agents here and you tended to switch around. Going undercover will allow us better coverage. If someone is out there, he won't know who to focus on. If he chose to attack, we would have the advantage of surprise. It might even draw them out into the open."

The group took this in.

"I chose the second option. I believe it is the best way we can look out for the family."

Some eyes widened and murmurs could be heard from the small group.

"This is how it's going to work. We will need someone here at headquarters at all times playing dispatch. Everyone else will be guarding someone. You will be assigned to follow one person. I'll be both continuing the investigation and keeping in touch with you. No one should know you are there, not even the targets. If they know, it's likely their actions will point you out to the unsub. Discretion is key. Do not get caught."

* * *

Bianca was confused. For the past few days the agents had seemed to be slowly disappearing. There were less and less of them around. When she had woken up and left her apartment that morning, there was no one there. No agents standing guard outside her door. No agents milling about in the lobby, intently studying any passerby. No one.

She had been busy the past week. The London project was well on its way to being a success, but the paperwork was flying left and right. Meetings were being scheduled every half hour with every department. If Cambias secured this deal...the money and influence gained would be astronomical.

Because of this, she hadn't seen much of anything outside of financial forms and meeting minutes. But she couldn't ignore it anymore. There was no one around.

Bianca stopped in her tracks, the flow of traffic on the sidewalk ebbing around her.

If the agents were gone...then Frankie was gone.

Bianca shook her head. Frankie wouldn't do that...not again. They hadn't spoken since that day, true. She should have talked more with the agent. Talked over everything. But she had been scared. Scared and embarrassed over her break-down.

Frankie wouldn't leave, though. Not like that. Not after admitting to still caring about Bianca. Not after having held her in her arms.

Deciding to visit the FBI headquarters and hunt down Agent Stone, Bianca spun around on her heels...and crashed into the person standing behind her.

"Oh, excusez-moi," apologized Bianca before looking up into the face of who she bumped into. The terrified face of Agent Jones peeked back at her, "Agent Jones?"

"Oh no...um Mrs. Williams...ma'am...hi." stuttered Jones as he took a step back from the woman.

Bianca looked the man up and down. For the first time, he wasn't dressed in the black suit and tie he always wore. Now he was wearing an ironed green polo shirt and pressed khakis. "What's going on? Why are you dressed like that?"

"Um...well...ma'am, it's Agent Stone's idea."

Bianca felt a weight lift from her shoulders at the admission. Frankie was still there.

"What was her idea?"

Jones looked around, uncomfortable at both the surrounding amounts of people and what he was doing. He beckoned her over to the side of the sidewalk, behind a skinny tree.

"Ma'am, we're dressed like this because we are undercover. We lost a lot of our agents to the other group, and it was decided we would try to blend in, since we don't have enough people to stand out like before."

Bianca took this in, her mind processing the explanation, "Is this a good idea? Are we safe?"

"Of course," quickly assured the young agent, "you'll still have protection. Besides, Agent Stone is one of the best UC's we have at the bureau." His face lit up as he began to gush, "She does amazing undercover work. I mean, she can't really talk about a lot of it, I bet most of the stuff is confidential. But from what people say, she's the best. I have no idea why she's here. This is nowhere near her department. Well, there's rumors...but, it's awesome getting to work with her."

He trailed off, noticing the shocked expression on Bianca's face, "She's a what?"

* * *

Bianca arrived home that night, mentally exhausted. Work had been draining, the London project taking its toll on everyone. But more than that, her abrupt run-in with Jones both answered questions and raised questions. He had tried to explain the best he could about Frankie's decision to go undercover. It made some sense, but she still felt cautious about the safety of her children. This had been what she wanted though, wasn't it? The protection without the overbearing presence of guards.

And Frankie was still in Paris. Jones' meek request that she not inform the lead agent about their run-in brought a smile to her face. Jones might act nervous in regards to his leader, but he wanted to impress her more than anything else, it seemed. It was kinda cute, like a little kid wanting to impress their teacher. Knowing Frankie had worked to get that status brought a sense of pride to the CEO. She was proud of the girl she once knew. Frankie had come a long way, it seemed.

But what was this undercover thing?

Bianca strolled into the living room to see Reese lounging on the sofa. A bottle of wine was resting on the coffee table, two glasses eagerly awaiting to be used. The lights were dimmed and soft music played in the background.

"Mmmm, what's all this? And why are you home so early? That's the second time you've beaten me home."

Reese stood up and pulled the brunette into her arms, "Can't a girl just want to be with her wife and children?"

Reese pressed their lips together, maneuvering her wife so they were both sitting on the couch.

"And...all of...this?" questioned Bianca between kisses.

Reese gave her one last big kiss before leaning back. She kept one arm wrapped around Bianca as the other reached out for the wine. "This is to celebrate."

"Celebrate? What are we celebrating?"

Reese poured them both a glass of wine, handing one to her wife before answering, "We are celebrating that they solved the case. The FBI isn't around anymore. That means they must have solved it. Thank god, because I was beginning to wonder if they would ever leave us in peace."

Reese leaned in for another kiss, but Bianca pulled back. She opened her mouth, ready to correct the blonde about the FBI presence, when a small voice called out.

"Mommy."

Bianca looked over Reese's shoulder to see Miranda standing at the entrance to the room.

"Yes, honey?" asked Bianca as Reese sat back, frustration showing on her face.

"I'm thirsty." answered the little girl as she looked between the two adults.

"Oh, let's get you something to drink then. How about a glass of juice?" Bianca stood up and led her daughter into the kitchen.

* * *

It had been a week since the switch in strategy had taken place. Johnson had been working the dispatch desk, keeping in contact with all agents via phone. Frankie alternated between arguing with the Lyon police over the possession of files, and keeping up to date on her agent's activities. According to Johnson, none of them had been spotted yet. Considering none of the agents had been thoroughly trained in undercover operations, this brought a sense of relief to the lead.

It was early morning when Agent Stuart called in, requesting to speak with Agent Stone. Frankie took the phone from Johnson, resting a hip against the desk, "This is Stone."

"Agent Stone, I'm sorry, but I cannot keep doing this. I'm...I'm exhausted. I haven't slept in two days. I don't...I'm sorry but I don't think I'm cut out for undercover work." apologized the agent.

Frankie rubbed at her eyes, "That's fine, Agent Stuart. I've been asking a lot from you all. Get some sleep, I'll take over your duty."

She hung up the phone and turned to Johnson, "Who was Stuart guarding again?"

Johnson shuffled his papers, "Miranda Montgomery."

Frankie caught up with Miranda at the park. Joan had opted to take the two children there to enjoy the playground. Frankie noted Barnes' presence as she calmly sat down on a bench. She unfolded the english newspaper she had picked up on the way over and placed it across her lap.

The park was fairly busy that day. About fifteen kids were running around the small area, their parents watching them from other benches. Every now and then someone would walk by with a dog. The people all seemed to be dressed nicely, alluding to the high society neighborhood the park was in.

Frankie took a pencil out of the pocket in her leather jacket and crossed her blue jean clad legs. She was dressed casually in slightly baggy jeans, a plain white t-shirt and brown leather jacket. She folded the paper so the crossword faced her. Wielding the pencil, she began with number one down.

By the time she was half way through the across section, she felt a presence sitting next to her on the bench. Glancing over, she was startled to see Miranda watching her with a curious stare. Frankie lifted her eyes to see Joan occupied with a crying Gabby, Barnes watching anxiously from his hiding spot.

"Where's the man." Miranda asked.

Frankie calmly looked over at the little girl, "What man would that be?"

Miranda gave her a 'duh' look, "The man who always sits her and watches us."

Frankie felt the hair on the back of her neck raise. Could it be the stalker? Had this little kid seen the person they were trying to catch?

"I don't know. Maybe if you describe him to me, I would recognize him."

Miranda tilted her head in thought, "He has black hair and blue eyes. His nose is big, and he walks kinda funny."

Frankie imperceptibly shook her head with a grimace. Bianca's daughter was describing Agent Stuart. She made a mental note to work on his undercover skills. If a little kid was able to point him out, that's not good.

"Miranda, where are you?" called out Joan, interrupting the little girl from finishing her description. Miranda got down from the bench, knowing if she didn't get back to Joan soon the other woman would worry, which would lead to her mother finding out and a lecture on not running off. She moved to leave, but not before staring at Frankie's face, studying every inch of it.

Frankie stared back, noting the spark of recognition in the child's eyes before she ran off to join her sister and nanny.


	11. Chapter 10

The sun was high in the sky, only a few random clouds filtering its rays. A crisp wind blew through the city, marking the passage of time towards winter.

The park was busy again, Frankie noted as she settled on the hard metal bench. She took in the area. Children were running around the grassy plot. Parents were watching them from the gravel walkways and benches. Barnes was standing behind a bench on his cellphone, most likely checking-in with Johnson. Joan was carrying Gabrielle as Miranda ran ahead towards the other children, stopping every once in awhile to see how far behind her little sister was.

Frankie unfolded the newspaper she had purchased on the walk over, turning the pages to the crossword puzzle. She peered through her sunglasses at Miranda as she pulled out a pencil. The little girl was twirling in circles, her head thrown back in delight as she spun around.

The agent looked back at the newspaper and lifted her pencil, filling in one down. If this was going to be happening for an extended period of time, which it most likely was at Stuart's inability to understand the proper way to stay undetected, she'd have to look into other forms of entertainment. While crosswords were fun, they'd only last so long. She would have to look into getting something else. Maybe a book of anagrams. Those were cool.

As she entered letters into the spaces for three across, Frankie felt a shift in the air. Without looking up she said, "You shouldn't talk to strangers."

"That's what my mommy says." replied Miranda. She hopped up onto the bench, her small legs swinging as she pushed herself into a comfortable position.

Frankie glanced sideways at the child before returning her attention to the crossword, "Your mom is right. You should listen to her."

She felt small eyes shift to stare at her face, their gaze holding for a few minutes. The little girl scooted closer to her, trying to get a better look. Frankie held still, keeping her eyes on the paper. This could be bad.

"I know you." almost whispered the little girl.

Frankie folded up and placed the paper on the bench and the pencil on her ear. This little girl was smart. If the almost look-alike features didn't give it away, the brains were a dead giveaway that this was Bianca's daughter.

"We talked yesterday." Frankie reminded, scanning the area again. Barnes was watching Gabrielle, the little girl pulling at the grass as Joan moved to stop her from eating the brown dirt that came up with the green stalks.

Miranda shook her head, "No, before that."

Frankie finally looked at her, once again amazed at how much she looked like her mother. She studied the girl, trying to gauge what she was thinking. She never really interacted with kids, her line of working sending her in to deal with people who were on the opposite spectrum of the innocent tikes. She did know that children listened, though. They retained information and spit it out without a thought in the world. Whatever she told her could end up being repeated to anybody, and she did not feel like getting a phone call about why Miranda Montgomery was spilling secrets.

The two stared at each other. There was no way Miranda had gotten a good look at the agent on the train ride. She was asleep the whole time, and that was the only time Frankie was anywhere near her...at least visibly...before yesterday.

Frankie bit her tongue, forcing herself not to show any emotions. This could mean only one thing.

"Kid, we have never met before. I think you have me confused with someone else."

Miranda violently shook her head, "No, I know you. It's you."

Frankie began to tap her fingers against her leg. This could not be happening.

"Kid, we met yesterday. I'm not who you think I am."

Why did things like this happen to her. There was only one person the littlest Montgomery could think she was.

Maggie.

Her identical twin sister Maggie.

The girl who had swooped in after Frankie's 'death' and supposedly changed Bianca's life. The girl who Bianca wanted to raise Miranda with. The love of Bianca's life...well...until Reese showed up.

Before Miranda could respond, Frankie continued, "Why aren't you playing with Joan?"

Miranda gave her a look as she pointed a tiny finger at her nanny, "Joan's playing with Gabby." She then smiled up at the agent, her eyes lighting up, "Would you play with me?"

Frankie felt her eyes widen in astonishment at the simple question. "Don't you want to play with the other kids?"

Miranda crossed her arms, "They're boring. Claire wants to play hide-and-go-seek. There's no where to hide!"

Frankie bit back a laugh, knowing the little girl had a point. The park was a wide open area. Only the few scattered benches offered any cover.

"Will you play with me?"

"Don't you want to play with your sister?" Frankie tried.

Miranda moved closer, her side now touching the agent's arm, "Gabby has Joan...and the dirt worms."

Frankie couldn't hold in the laugh this time as Miranda wrinkled her nose at the thought of touching worms, "Worms aren't that bad."

"They're icky."

"Icky? I used to know someone who said the same thing when we were kids. I'd chase her around the house with one." Frankie fondly reminisced. Her sister could be such a girl sometimes.

"_Frankie!" yelled a seven year old Maggie as she ran into the house as fast as her tiny legs could carry her._

"_Come on Mags, it's just a worm!" shouted Frankie as she sprinted in behind her, the screen door banging against the wooden frame. _

"_No it's not! You're gonna get my dress all dirty!" replied Maggie as she ducked into the kitchen. _

"_I told you not to wear that." Frankie held the squirming worm in her hand as she darted around the patchwork sofa and towards the kitchen._

"_I like my dress!" was yelled back. _

_Not paying attention to what she was doing, her mind only on scaring her sister, Frankie forgot about the piece of wood that had been torn up and stuck out of the flooring. Her sneakers caught on the jagged stick and she went tumbling into the kitchen, the worm flying out of her hands._

"_Frankie! Are you ok?" Maggie raced over to her fallen sister._

_Frankie felt a sharp pain in her knee. She looked down to see a bloody cut where the hole in her jeans was, the red liquid spilling out to coat the material. Her elbows hurt from landing on them. Arms almost identical to her own wrapped around her chest, helping to lift her up. _

"_I'm ok, Mags." Frankie wobbled on her feet, pain shooting through her leg. _

"_You're not ok. You're bleeding." Maggie bent down to inspect the wound. _

_Frankie tried to move back, but the pain buckled her leg._

"_Stop Frank, you're hurt." ordered Maggie as she stood up and maneuvered against her sister's side. _

"_It's nothing. I'm fine."_

_Maggie ignored her as she moved them over to the ratty kitchen table. As Frankie was lowered into a chair, she noticed the worm slithering on the plywood surface. "Hey, look who it is..."_

_A slap met her outstretched hand. Frankie pulled back, laughing at the disgusted look directed at the worm. The other Stone twin looked around, a dirty knife coming into view. She snagged the object and swiftly brought it down on the worm, cutting it in two. _

"_Now it'll stop slithering." Her triumphant look was quickly replaced with wonder. Instead of not moving, both ends were now sliding across the table. Both twins watched, their mouths open in shock. _

"_That is so cool." breathed out Frankie, Maggie nodding her head in agreement._

"_Mary-Frances! Mary-Margret!" _

_Frankie and Maggie looked at each other, fear in their eyes._

_They woke mom up. _

The agent was brought out of her short trip down memory lane as she heard a sniff. She looked down to see Miranda sniffing at her jacket.

"You smell funny," the kid pulled back, "kinda like Claire's daddy. Or when Auntie Kendall makes cookies."

"Smoke." muttered the woman, "I smell like smoke."

Little ears heard her, "Why do you smell like smoke?"

Frankie blinked, why was this child so inquisitive? "I...uh...smoke. I smoke."

"Why?"

Oh man, "I guess because it makes me feel better."

Miranda nodded her head in understanding.

"Listen, why don't you go play with the other kids."

"I like you."

"You don't know me."

Miranda huffed, "I know you. You're my friend."

* * *

It was a slow morning for the Williams family. Both Reese and Bianca had the day off from work. They were enjoying a much needed break from their frantic work schedules. Miranda and Gabrielle were off in the living room, the sounds of some French cartoon along with childish laughter filling the air. The two had decided early on to have the children learn both French and English from the beginning. Therefore they had them watch French cartoons, hoping the children would pick up on the language easier if it was part of their entertainment.

Reese sat down at the kitchen table, a mug of steaming coffee in her hand. She watched as Bianca puttered around the kitchen, gathering the ingredients for omelets.

"I still can't believe it. I feel so bad for Joan." Bianca set the pan on the stove top.

Reese nodded her head, "I know. It's almost surreal. She just called last night while you were at the office. Her mother is really sick, and she needs to take time off to go be with her."

Bianca opened the half-full carton of eggs and took a few out. "That's terrible. I hope it's nothing too serious."

Reese shrugged, "Whatever it is, she needs to leave immediately, which means we need to find someone to watch the children."

Bianca began to break open the eggs, "This is really short notice. She was sure she couldn't stay till next week?"

"No, she said she had to leave right now."

"Well, I guess we can take them to the daycare at Cambias, but they close at six. The London deal has been forcing me to stay there a lot later than that."

"You know the Lyon project has us all working overtime at the firm." Reese wrapped a hand around the hot mug.

Before Bianca could respond, the sound of knocking echoed in the apartment.

"Mommy! Someone's at the door!" shouted Miranda.

Bianca wiped her hands on a dishtowel, "I'll go see who it is."

Reese watched her go, sitting back in her chair and sipping at the still pipping hot beverage.

The tall brunette made her way over to the front door, bypassing her giggling children, their attention already back on the television.

Opening the door, she was shocked to see who was on the other side.

"Frankie...what are you doing here?" whispered Bianca as she took in the petite woman. Since they had met on the train from London, Frankie was always dressed in a suit, just like all the other agents. Now though, she was dressed as casually as the day they had met in Pine Valley so long ago. She should have been expecting it. Agent Jones had said they would be in street clothes. But the sight of a sneaker and jean clad Frankie was enough to make Bianca wonder if she was back in Pennsylvania, a teenager crushing on the new cool girl.

"Hi...Bia...Ms. Montgomery." greeted Frankie, silently cursing her near slip. This was the first time they had seen each other since the incident, as Frankie named it, and the agent couldn't stop the nervousness that shot up at the sight of the beautiful CEO.

"What...what are...just," Bianca finally took a deep breath, "hi."

A crooked half-grin appeared, "How...uh...how are you?" Frankie unconsciously stuffed her hands in her pockets. Her body began to rock back and forth on the balls of her feet.

Bianca smiled at the sight, "Good...better. How are you?"

As Frankie opened her mouth to reply, a voice called from within the apartment, Reese appearing a few seconds later, "Bianca? Who's at the door?"

Frankie tore her eyes away from the brunette in front of her to watch the blonde approach. She subtly looked the woman up and down, taking in the expensive designer clothes and almost commanding step. Reese walked up next to Bianca, wrapping an arm around her wife's waist as she met Frankie's gaze.

Frankie stared at her for a moment before offering a smile and her hand, "I'm sorry, you must be Mrs. Williams. Joan has told me so much about you."

Reese glanced at her wife questioningly before reluctantly shaking her hand. Frankie firmly gripped the blonde's hand, ignoring Bianca's mouthed _Joan _to her with confusion.

"You know Joan?" asked Reese as she gripped the small hand back, applying a tiny bit more pressure than normal.

"Yes, I do. We live next to each other, and I heard about her mother. She told me before she left that I should apply for the nanny job she's leaving open."

"That seems very quick of her." pointed out Reese as she dropped the handshake.

Frankie shrugged, plastering a charming smile on her face, "She felt really bad about leaving you all in such a hurry. I think it was her way of trying to make up for it."

Reese nodded her understanding, "Well, we were just about to have breakfast. If you'd like we could look over your resume and meet with you later this week."

"Of course, whatever works for you." Frankie began to pull a slip of paper from her back pocket, "I'm just wondering, what will be your plans until you find someone?"

Reese took the paper, Bianca still staring at Frankie in shock. "We'll be using the daycare provided by our work and coming home a little early if need be."

Frankie nodded along, "That's nice, you giving your time up like that. Joan always talked about how you two were busy, doing important things. I guess it'd be too bad if you had to miss something important at work...or even between you two...because you didn't have a nanny."

Reese tilted her head in thought and began to skim the resume. "It says here you worked for a Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Johnson before."

"Yes, a great family. They had two little girls. Unfortunately, they moved to Spain for his work."

"I think I'd like to talk with the Johnsons, if that's alright with you."

"Sure, go ahead. They should be home now, if you'd like." Frankie shot her an encouraging look.

Reese looked over at Bianca, silently asking for her input. The brunette blinked over at her, a shaky smile coming to her face, "Honey, why don't you call them now? I'll talk with Frankie."

"Frankie?"

"Frankie Moore" jumped in the agent with a smile.

Reese looked between the two of them and back down at the paper. "Ok. Come on in Frankie, make yourself comfortable while I check this out."

Reese turned and began to walk back into the apartment, Bianca and Frankie following her.

"Moore? Nanny? What's going on, Frankie?" questioned Bianca, checking to see if Reese heard her. Suddenly, a thought popped into her mind, "Did you do something to..."

"No, we found out just after you did." cut off Frankie, "Joan's mom has cancer. She found out two days ago and called her daughter yesterday afternoon. She called you that evening and that's when we found out. We had nothing to do with it."

She then shot a smirk at the younger woman, "I'm glad to see that you think I have the power to get rid of someone like that, though. I must be pretty cool to be able to snap my fingers and get someone to fly half-way around the world."

Bianca rolled her eyes, "Or you have a big enough ego that they run away."

Frankie mock gasped as she raised a hand to her heart, "Your words wound me."

"Oh...were they able to get past your giant ego?"

The two entered the living room. A high-pitched squeal followed by the pounding of feet had them looking down at a gleeful Miranda.

"Hi! You're here!" Miranda smiled up at Frankie.

"Hey there, kiddo." Frankie knelt down so she was face to face with the toddler.

"You know her, Miranda?" Bianca looked between the two with worried eyes.

Miranda nodded her head, "Yup, we met at the park."

"That's right, we talked about worms." agreed Frankie.

"Worms?" Bianca raised an eyebrow.

"They're icky." the little girl wrinkled her nose.

"They can be really cool, though. Do you know if you cut 'em in half they become two worms?" Frankie's words were met with a look of wonder by the child.

"Really?"

Their conversation was cut short as Reese entered the room, her cellphone in her hand. "I talked with Mr. Johnson. He gave a glowing recommendation." She then looked at Frankie and Miranda, "You two know each other?"

"They met at the park." an astonished Bianca replied.

"The park?"

"Yeah," Frankie jumped in, "I was there with Joan, helping watch the kids. Miranda and I had a fun time."

"Yeah." added Miranda, wanting to help her friend, "We had a lot of fun. Gabby played with worms, though."

Reese nodded with a smile. "That's great. It looks like the kids already like you." She watched Frankie stand up, "Everything seems to check out. The Johnsons think you're amazing. I'm sorry if I seemed a little hesitant earlier, but, as you can understand, your story seemed a little far-fetched. We can't just trust someone who shows up at our door. But Miranda knows you, and the Johnsons loved you." She shared a look with Bianca, "I don't see why we can't hire you, at least temporarily."

"That's great." Frankie motioned to walk over to the blonde, but tiny hands clutched at her pant leg, holding her in place.

"If it's not too much, it would be good if you could start tomorrow. We would need you here around eight in the morning." Reese continued.

"Works for me. Thanks a lot. I'll call and let Joan know her idea worked out."

Reese shot her a forced smile, "If you don't mind, though, we were just about to have breakfast."

Frankie got the hint, "I should be getting home anyway. Thank you for the job. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

She tried to go, but Miranda held her in place. Seeing this, Bianca reached down and picked up the child, "Hey Mimo, why don't you go finish watching tv with your sister."

The little girl looked at Frankie as she was set back down on the ground, "See you tomorrow?"

"You got it, kid." Frankie replied as the child ran back to the television.

Bianca looked over at Reese, "I'll walk Frankie out...if you could start breakfast?"

Reese nodded and left for the kitchen.

"I like her." dryly intoned the agent as the two women slowly trekked towards the door.

Bianca rolled her eyes.

"No...she seems like a bright ray of sunshine." continued the shorter woman.

"She's been very busy with work." defended Bianca.

"So have I, but you don't see me acting like..."

"Like what? Don't think I didn't notice that _friendly_ handshake you gave her."

"That was friendly of me, wasn't it?"

Bianca sighed, "Be nice, Frankie."

"I'm always nice." smugly shot back the agent.

"Yeah, and I'm the Queen of England."

"Wow...you look good for your age. But wait...if your that old than that means Erica is..."

"Don't even finish that sentence." laughed Bianca as they reached the front door, "Besides, you're older than I am."

"Only on paper, I assure you."

The two stopped and looked at each other.

"Frankie, why are you doing this? With Miranda and Gabby?"

Frankie looked away for a second, deciding how much to tell.

"Just tell me."

The agent looked back at her, "It's an in for us. We can protect you all, especially the children, better if we have someone on the inside. I'll always be there, and it won't seem odd or out of place. This was an opportunity we couldn't pass up."

"Why you? Don't take this the wrong way, but you have an investigation to run."

"Would you rather it be Jones? The poor kid would be stumbling over his feet trying to teach the kids the periodic table or something."

Catching Bianca's eye, the agent continued, "Hey, don't worry. Your kids will be fine. Trust me...I'm actually kind of good at this."

Frankie graced her with one last smile before opening the door and slipping out, a faint "see ya" floating behind her. The tall brunette watched her leave. As soon as the door closed behind her, Frankie had her cellphone out.

"Johnson...good job with the phone call earlier. Yeah...I need you to do something. Pull out the file on Reese Williams and have it on my desk in ten minutes."

* * *

The following day found Frankie back at the park with Miranda and Gabby. Gabby was sleeping in her stroller, a floppy hat pulled down to cover her face from the sun's rays. Miranda and Frankie were a few feet away, gently tossing a ball back and forth.

"Frankie?" Miranda caught the baseball with both hands.

"Yeah, kid."

"My mommy has long hair, like me. So does Claire...and my teacher Mrs. Bedeau...and Reese. Why is yours not long?" she pulled back and let the ball fly.

Frankie raised a hand and caught the ball near her chest, "Well...my hair used to be longer. But then I was playing a game of pretend. I had to pretend to be someone else, and I cut my hair. I just got use to it."

"Wow, I've never cut my hair for pretend. That's cool!" Miranda caught the softly tossed ball, "You're fun. More fun than Joan or Reese or Mommy."

Frankie bent down to catch the ball by her knees, "I don't know about that. They all seem like fun."

"Nuh uh." disagreed Miranda.

"Why isn't Reese any fun?" asked the agent, her eyes quickly scanning the park again before settling on the child.

"Reese is boring. She never wants to play with me or go to the park. She use to...but not anymore."

"Well...what about your mom?"

"She's always working. Too busy to play with me."

Frankie palmed the ball and held onto it, "They are both pretty busy people. They're working hard so they can have money to buy you and Gabby lots of toys."

Miranda shrugged her tiny shoulders. The woman walked over to her, "Come on kid...don't get mad...get glad."

Miranda looked up at her confused. Frankie shot her a silly smile causing the girl to laugh, "You're weird."

"But weird in a totally cool way." the short woman led her over to the stroller, "Now, I heard that you might have some homework due tomorrow. While I usually wouldn't force any child to perform such a horrendous task as filling out schoolwork, I think your mom might yell at me if you don't."

Frankie began to push the stroller as Miranda walked next to her, "She would yell at you?"

"Yeah, so we better get it done quick. Can't have her mad at me the first day."

Miranda shook her head, not wanting to see that.

"So, what do we gotta do, kiddo?"

"We're learning about some guy who wrote plays and stuff."

Frankie perked up, "Shakespeare?"

"Yeah, that's him." agreed Mimo.

"Well now...I just might be able to help you with that."


	12. Chapter 11

"Hi Frankie!"

Frankie caught a blur of pink and brown before she felt two small arms wrap around her waist.

"Hey Kid. How was school? The teacher didn't bore you too much, did she?"

Miranda giggled as she let go of the agent, "It's not boring."

Frankie playfully gasped as her eyes widened, "What? Not boring? Are you feeling ok?" She reached out a hand to ruffle the little girl's hair.

"School's fun." Miranda ducked away from the hand and moved over to the stroller housing her baby sister.

"Fun? School? Kids are supposed to hate school." Frankie replied as she turned to the stroller.

"Why?" Miranda reached out to hug her sister. The infant bounced with happiness, her tiny fingers digging into Miranda's puffy pink coat.

"Well...uh...what did you do today?" If the kid didn't hate school...who was she to make her. It would happen eventually.

"Show and tell."

"What did you bring?" Frankie placed a hand on one of the stroller's handle bars and began to push, heading towards the street.

"Nothing. I go later." Miranda walked next to the woman, her arms swinging back and forth.

"We'll have to make sure you bring in something really cool. Do you have any ideas?"

Miranda shrugged and shook her head.

"What did the other kids bring?" Frankie asked upon seeing the gesture.

"George brought his toy train and Claire brought Snowball."

"Snowball?"

Miranda nodded her head, "Yep, her cat's big and fluffy like snow."

"A cat...I'm sure the teacher loved that."

"She's not allergic, so she didn't cry like mommy who cried but she never cried before, and she wasn't by Snowball." Miranda got out all in one breath.

Frankie shot the child a confused look, "Your mom cried."

Miranda nodded sadly, the memories dampening her mood, "She said it was allergies, but she never had them before. I asked her why she was crying, but Reese made me leave."

"Miranda...did Reese say something to your mother to make her cry?" Frankie watched the child's face for any hints.

"No...mommy was crying and I didn't know why. I was reading my book and she came home and she was crying."

Frankie looked away from her, understanding what most likely caused Bianca's emotions.

"Frankie...I don't like mommy crying." the small voice stated with certainty.

"Me either, kid." Frankie mumbled as they reached an intersection.

On the other side of the road was the playground the children usually went to after Miranda got out of school. Frankie watched the cars zoom by, waiting for any opening, when she heard an impatient sigh. Looking down, she saw Miranda holding up her hand.

"We're supposed ta hold hands crossing the road." she said, as if she shouldn't have to remind the agent.

"Oh...yeah...right." Frankie awkwardly reached out her free hand.

Miranda wrapped her hand around Frankie's ring and pinky fingers, turning her attention to the road. "Now we look both ways." If she couldn't remember to hold her hand, she might not know the rest of the steps! It's ok though, she knew them all.

Frankie glanced down with an amused smile. "Do you see anything?"

"Nope. Now we listen." Miranda turned her head so her ear faced the street.

"I don't hear anything." Frankie's brown orbs took in the concentrated look on the toddler's face.

"Ok, we can cross now." informed Miranda.

"Are you sure?" Frankie gently teased.

"Yep, it's safe now."

"Thank goodness you were here, I might have forgotten one of the steps." Frankie pushed the stroller across the blacktop as Miranda pulled on her fingers.

"It's ok. I forget them too sometimes." consoled Miranda as they stepped onto the sidewalk and entered the playground area.

Quickly seeing her friends, the small girl let go of the agent's fingers and raced off towards them. Frankie watched her run off, feeling a strange sense of loss at the now missing contact. Shaking it off, she pushed the stroller over to a bench. She walked to the front and began unbuckling the straps, Gabrielle clapping her hands at the sight of the friendly face.

"Hey there, looks like it's just you and me, squirt."

She lifted the infant out of the seat and into her arms. The infant let out a squeal of delight, one hand wrapping in the soft cotton t-shirt and the other around the silver chain resting at the base of Frankie's neck.

"Happy to get outta there, huh? I would be too if I was cooped up in that thing." Frankie slowly sat down on the bench, careful not to jostle the youngster.

Gabrielle made a noise of agreement as she pulled on the necklace, intrigued with the shiny object. Frankie placed a tan hand on the tiny fist entangled with the metal, her fingers attempting to loosen the tight grip. "I know it's cool, but you're gonna break my neck."

As she peeled the baby away from the new shiny toy, the agent felt the air shift around her as someone sat down next to her. Choosing to scan the area instead of looking at her new neighbor, the short brunette internally shook her head...like mother like daughter. "Hello Bianca."

The CEO crossed her legs, her skirt riding up past her knees as she settled into the hard seat. She watched as Frankie situated Gabrielle so she was resting comfortably in her lap, the infant leaning back against her belly. Conflicting feelings rose up in her chest at the sight. It was almost deja-vu, until she took a closer look. The mixture of hesitance, slight fear, and care in the warm brown eyes...the awkward yet stable hands...the ruffian-esque attire...this wasn't the Stone twin who had spent so much time with a different infant. Frankie was not Maggie...just as Maggie was never Frankie. While the sight brought up memories she had worked to suppress, the sight also invoked a trickle of warmth that went straight into her heart.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at work?"

Bianca blinked, Frankie's words bringing her mind back to the real world. "I came to see my daughters. They're getting so big."

The agent kept her eyes on the park, going over every person who showed a sign of movement. She offered the other woman a shrug of her shoulders, "I wouldn't know. I don't know much about kids."

Bianca watched her youngest daughter snuggle back into the inviting body behind her. A tan palm unconsciously came up to rub at the child's purple clothed belly, holding her in place. Gabrielle grinned at the touch and grasped at the calloused fingers.

"I don't know about that. Miranda can't stop talking about her new friend Frankie. It's all she's talked about since she met you."

Frankie shrugged again, her gaze darting to the little girl chasing after her two friends. "She's a good kid. Nice...has a lot of friends...does well in school. She likes everybody. I'm just glad I haven't messed up with her yet."

Bianca felt her smile soften, "You're not going to mess up with her. Everyone makes mistakes."

"Yeah, some just more than others."

"Frankie..." sighed the taller brunette.

"I don't know about kids, Bianca. Hell, I don't know much about parents, either. Based off of what I do know...I don't think you want me going off of that."

"Stop. Just stop." Bianca ordered, sliding closer to the agent, "You know more than you think you do. Don't sell yourself short. You're great with both of them. Gabrielle likes you, and Miranda already adores you." She touched Frankie's shoulder, whispering, "You're not like your parents, Frankie."

Frankie took in a deep breath, blinking down at Gabby, "It doesn't matter anyway. I'm just a replacement."

Seeming to have a mind of its own, Bianca's hand slowly slid forward, fingertips gliding across a path long forgotten. The pads moved across smooth skin, roaming over a shoulder and across an upper back, stopping as she felt the back of a neck. Her nails scratched lightly, instinctively knowing this would soothe the older girl.

"Who? For Joan? You're not just a replacement, Frankie. Yes, she will be coming back but..."

The agent cut her off, the other woman's touch clouding her mind. It had been so long since someone had touched her like that...had wanted to touch her like that. She ducked away from the comforting fingers. "Stop."

Bianca pulled back as if she had been burned, "What? What'd I..."

Frankie chuckled bitterly, rolling her eyes as she fiddled with her necklace.

"Don't do that. Talk to me." ordered Bianca, the agent's actions causing a sense of confusion and dread to seep in.

Looking at her for the first time since they entered the park, Frankie's bitter brown eyes bore into the CEO, "What happened between you and my sister?"

A gasp escaped. Bianca sat stunned. Frankie stared at her, her gaze pinning the woman to the bench. After a minute, Bianca opened her mouth, "Why...why are you asking?"

Frankie glanced over at Miranda, a flicker of sadness fighting to appear in her eyes. The little girl was twirling in a circle, her arms outstretched as she basked in the dizziness.

"She recognizes her in me. That's why she likes me so much. It just...made me wonder. I mean, you guys were all in love and stuff, right?"

Bianca could feel the bitterness coming off the agent in waves, even though her face gave nothing away, stoic as ever.

"You two were soul-mates, weren't you? You loved her so much, and she loved you back. Picture perfect couple. Must have been nice, having someone fill that void so quickly. The better one. The one with a future."

Frankie turned her head back to Bianca, emotion only showing in her eyes, "Come on Bianca. Tell me. You loved her more than anything, right? She was the one for you. And you were her dream come true. Swept her off her feet. Tell me. How you two were the Kodak moment family with Miranda. It's true...isn't it? Isn't it!"

"Yes!" shouted Bianca, not able to hear any more. Memories of Maggie racked her mind, forcing her to relive their relationship, "Yes, we were! Happy? We were together and I loved her...and then she fucked it all up and slept with someone else. Is that what you want to hear? I loved her and she cheated on me!"

The bitterness and anger fled from Frankie as her tense body softened, "No...she wouldn't do that. Maggie's not like that. She doesn't cheat; she couldn't even cheat at checkers when we were kids."

"How do you know?" Bianca sniffed as a tear rolled down her cheek, "Have you even talked to her since you've been back?"

"Bianca..." Frankie leaned towards the crying woman.

"No, don't touch me." Bianca jerked back.

With shaky movements, she stood up, swiping at her purse.

As the younger woman moved to leave, Frankie quickly bent towards the stroller, lifting the wide-eyed infant into it. At the taller woman's first step, the agent shot out a hand, wrapping her fingers around the pale wrist. Bianca shook her arm, trying to break the hold, but the fingers only tightened.

"No, you're not leaving." Frankie ordered with a tug, "Sit down. Please."

Knowing she couldn't break the hold, Bianca sat down with a huff. She looked out at the still playing children, a hand wiping at her tears.

"I'm sorry. I didn't...I didn't mean to make you mad or upset. I just..." stammered out Frankie, trying to form the words she knew needed to be said.

"You just what?" Bianca peered into troubled baby browns.

"I...god Bianca...I just..."

"What? You just what, Frankie? Why are you doing this? What are you so scared of? Do you think I see Maggie when I look at you? You think...Miranda sees Maggie?"

Frankie tried to look away, but this time Bianca wouldn't let her, "Is that it? Is that what you're scared of? Or are you still not scared of anything?"

"Why is your life like this?" Frankie blurted out, needing to stop where this conversation was going, "I just don't understand why your life is like this."

Bianca stared into her eyes, "You're lying."

"You could have anything you want...anyone you want." continued Frankie, "Now you're married to some chick who is always at work. The same chick who kissed your brother-in-law the day before your wedding. You're working so much you might as well live at the office."

"Frankie..."

"You have a full-time nanny to take care of your kids."

Bianca blinked at her, letting the earlier conversation go, "Has Miranda said something?"

Frankie shrugged helplessly, "She talks to me. I don't know why...but she does. Your daughter loves you, she misses you, though. That's all. I don't want to cause a fight. I'm telling you what she told me."

Silence.

Bianca's mind churned, going over the past few months. She had been spending a lot of time at the office. The latest project was taking up a lot of time. She hadn't been seeing a lot of the children lately, possibly even before the London deal.

"Thank you for telling me. Whatever you think, Miranda really likes you, Frankie. She feels safe with you." She let out a chuckle, "Besides, no else has attempted to show her the finer points of Shakespeare."

Frankie felt a grin quirk her lips, "She had to do a report."

Bianca rolled her eyes at the agent, "She's in elementary school, not college. The review on the poetry was ten pages long!"

"I shortened it."

"Ten pages! On poetry!"

"I bet she got an A."

"The teacher wanted one page, if that."

"I thought you Montgomerys were overachievers. I can't help it if the kid's a genius."

Bianca sighed, a smile on her face. After a minute, she softly commented, "I didn't know you were still into that."

Frankie quirked an eyebrow, a curious look on her face. There was only one way she could have known about her secret love of poetry and Shakespeare. "You got my book?"

Bianca nodded, her eyes catching on Frankie's fingers still wrapped, albeit gently now, around her wrist, "Yeah...yeah I did."


	13. Chapter 12

"Has the macarena made an appearance yet, or is it still all about the electric slide?" asked Frankie with a smirk as Campolini answered the phone.

"Stone...I have never seen so many people who couldn't dance in my life." replied the man.

"So no future contestants for Dancing with the Stars?" Frankie held in a shiver as the cold autumn air blew through the street. She fumbled with the zipper on her hoodie as she pressed the phone harder against her ear.

"Unfortunately no. My wife will be so disappointed that I can't tell her I met one of them." deadpanned Mark.

"Can't disappoint someone with no expectations." jested Frankie as she finally hooked the small pieces of metal and pulled the tag about half-way up.

"And my wife has sure learned to not have any where I'm concerned."

"Besides terrible dancing, has anything else happened over there?" Frankie sidestepped a small gaggle of tourists, their glossy maps fighting against the wind. It was unusual to find tourists in this area of the city. They tended to camp out around the Eiffel Tower or Notre Dame. The agent just shrugged her shoulders at them and moved on, wanting to make a sweep by the Cambias offices to check on Jones.

"It depends. Concerning the unsub, we got another letter, but nothing different than the others. We're still on high alert though, especially till we hear more about that little present he gave us."

"The Keystone Cops over in Lyon are still playing hardball with the files." Frankie filled in with a roll of the eyes.

"Yeah...well...just give me a heads up when you do get them."

"What else is wrong besides the letters and the French Barney Fifes?"

Campolini sighed, "These people have the craziest lives I have ever seen. Stone, I don't know what these people do...but my head is still spinning trying to figure it out. It's becoming difficult just focusing on our case. Everyone here has either done something, is doing something, or will be doing something."

"Don't even think about getting involved with any of that stuff, Mark." warned the woman.

"I know. I know. It's tough though."

"Just watch the dancers and let it go."

"Speaking of dancers, Erica Kane sure got herself one here. He's spinning her around like a top. He can actually kinda dance."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. He's a young guy. Man Stone, this broad sure gets around. The boys here are calling her a cougar or something. I thought it was supposed to be a fox."

Frankie smirked, "Kane's a fox, huh?"

"Yeah, foxy lady. She's got some years on her, but I wouldn't mind a little go around as long as she ain't talking. The words that lady says to us..."

"What would your wife think if she heard that?" joked Frankie as she jogged across the street between two oncoming cars.

"She'd be ecstatic that she'd be able to finally get rid of me." laughed Mark, "Damn...I need to go."

"I'll give you a call if we learn anything."

"Frankie wait...before you hang up." Mark's voice lowered, "You're sounding a lot better. I don't know everything that happened, mostly rumors. But you sound good."

Frankie blinked at this, her mouth suddenly dry, "I'll talk to you later."

She pressed the end button and shoved the phone into her pocket. Not wanting to start thinking about what the other agent had tried to bring up, she slipped out a cigarette and lighter, quickly lighting up the white stick. Deeply inhaling the calming nicotine, she held it in until her lungs burned and her eyes felt watery. Slowly she let the smoke out, watching as it floated away. Feeling the soothing affects, she scanned the area, trying to determine how much farther till she reached the office building. She turned the corner and almost bumped into the tall figure standing there. Frankie looked up and grinned at the face she saw.

"You really need to stop doing that." Bianca glanced at the cigarette, a smile crossing her face at the sight of the agent.

"Aww, but all the cool kids are doing it." Frankie pretended to whine as she lifted the stick to her mouth.

Bianca reached out and plucked the cigarette from between her lips, "Whoever said you were one of the cool kids?"

Frankie shook her head, unable to stop grinning, "Way to lower my confidence. If I hang out with you too long I might start getting a complex."

Bianca raised her eyebrows as she got rid of the cancer stick, "With that ego you have? The only complex you'll have is a Napoleon one."

"Are you calling me short?" playfully gasped Frankie.

"Maybe I am." challenged Bianca.

Frankie leaned in closer to her with a smirk, "Maybe? Maybe I heard you like short."

"Mmm...maybe. Or maybe I just like looking down on the world."

Frankie stepped back with a laugh, "That is something that will never happen. You don't look down on anything, Bianca."

Bianca felt a slight tingle of _something_ inside at the playfulness of their exchange. Not wanting it to go away, she offered the other woman a toothy grin, "Maybe...you would have lunch with me?" She gestured to the cafe a few steps away, "I was on my way there when you tried to run into me."

"Running into people is your family trait, not mine." Frankie glanced over at the small establishment, "And lunch actually sounds kinda good right now."

The two walked over to the entrance and were quickly seated. As they opened their menus, the agent discreetly peered around at the dining room. Her eyes stopped for a millisecond on Jones as he was seated a few tables away, enough time to let him know he was noticed but short enough to not raise suspicion if anyone was watching. The server came over and they quickly placed their orders.

As he walked away, Bianca sat quietly and watched her companion. Frankie fiddled with her water glass, rolling it around on its base. She finally broke the silence, "What brings you out here?"

"Taking a walk. Miranda is in school and Reese decided to take Gabrielle with her today." shrugged Frankie as the glass spun around.

Bianca nodded, "She's going on a business trip for a few days and wanted to spend time with her before she left."

"Yep, so I'm stuck until the kid gets outta class."

"Nothing else to do?"

"This is my only job, Ms. Montgomery." Frankie gave her a look before breaking out into a smirk, "I guess I could solve world hunger or find a cure for AIDS, but I'm kind of a slacker. Besides, win the Nobel Peace prize or have lunch with you...it's such a hard choice."

"You would take the prize." Bianca said, even though inside she was slightly giddy.

"I do look good with medals."

"You've won medals?" said the taller woman with interest.

"Surprised that I could win something?" shot out the agent.

Bianca shook her head, "No. I know you can win things. That you've won things. I just never knew you got medals for it. What did you win it in?"

"I was the fastest runner in my class." explained Frankie.

"You raced?"

"Every cop within the city limits, and some outside of that." a cheeky grin.

Bianca couldn't help the laugh that came out, "Cops huh?"

"You wouldn't think they could run fast, but those potbellies must be aerodynamic or something. They could flip themselves over a metal fence like it was the Olympics." continued Frankie.

"You were a bad girl, huh?"

"Sometimes. Other times I could be really good." the agent winked as the server placed their food in front of them.

As Bianca picked up her fork, fighting against the thoughts that the shorter woman's wink brought up, she heard, "What did you think I won?"

"What?" she looked up.

"What was it you thought I had won?"

Bianca looked back down at her salad, pushing a piece of lettuce with her fork, "It was a long time ago. Doesn't really matter anymore."

"Did I get a medal for it?" was gently asked.

_The past hour had been intense. Possibly the most intense hour of Bianca's young life. She had told someone that she might be in love with them. Not any someone...Frankie. The girl who had captured her attention the moment their eyes met in that emergency room. _

_If that wasn't crazy enough, Frankie freaked out. There were tears, nervous abrupt movements...and Frankie opening up more than she ever had before. Saying how no one had ever told her they loved her, not even her parents. How she didn't know how to love. The sadness and fear in those deep puppy dog eyes made Bianca want to hold her and never let go. To protect this beautifully broken girl from the pain life had given her. She wanted that more than anything, because no matter what was said, she cared for this girl more than anything else in the world._

_Then her mom showed up. Erica Kane came in and she had heard the whole thing. But, instead of yelling and attacking Frankie like she always had, she offered acceptance. She wasn't inviting the girl she had repeatedly called a con-artist and fake to Sunday dinner or anything, but she was willing to accept their relationship. It was completely unexpected but happily embraced by the teenager. _

_After her mother had left, the two talked...or tried to. It was clear that Frankie was still jittery. She couldn't get over Erica's attempt at an olive branch. She didn't trust it. _

_Bianca didn't want to talk about her mother anymore. She wanted to talk about them. Earlier she had left her mom and Frankie alone, as requested, and started to make some tea. While down in the kitchen, she had an idea, and no matter what, the idea wouldn't go away. It felt right. It was the right thing to do._

"_I know you don't know how you feel about everything, yet." began the teenager as she adjusted in her seat, an uncontrollable smile crossing her face, "but...um...there is something I want to give you." _

"_Like what?" asked Frankie._

_Bianca stood up, her hands coming to the necklace resting around her neck. She undid the clasp as she stepped over to the chair Frankie was sitting in._

"_Oh my god." murmured Frankie as she saw what Bianca was doing._

_Bianca unwrapped the thin gold chain from her neck and stood in front of the other girl, "This was from my father. And he was a totally amazing person, and...um...and I know he was totally cool about me, even though I never got a chance to tell him who I was before he died. And so, I don't think that he would have a problem...if we changed the pictures...when you wore it."_

_Frankie looked up at her with watery eyes, shaking her head, "I'm sorry, I can't."_

"_Yeah, you can," Bianca held out the necklace, the light reflecting off the dangling golden heart locket. "Frankie, please I...listen I don't need to be reminded that I'm loved. I know I'm loved. But you...you do. You need to know that somebody loves you. That I love you. So please...can I put it on you?" she finished in a whisper._

"_I can't." Frankie looked at her brokenly, emotions battling in the depths of her brown eyes._

"_Yes you can, you really can." Bianca encouraged as she knelt down. She could see the blonde holding back, trying to hide the vulnerability that was shining through. "Just let me in."_

_She leaned forward and hooked the necklace around Frankie's neck, moving her hair out of the way. She couldn't help the smile and feeling of pure happiness as she saw the heart-shaped locket resting against the girl's smooth skin._

Bianca blinked, her hand stilling as she remembered, "Yeah, you did...in a way."

The table was quiet for a few minutes, the only sound being the scraping of silverware against plates.

"Bianca...at the park..." began Frankie after some time had passed, "I shouldn't have..."

"Stop." Bianca looked up, her eyes locking with wary brown orbs, "Whatever you're going to say, stop. You...you said how you felt. What you were feeling."

"I shouldn't have. I had no right to say those things."

"You always have a right to say how you feel, Frankie. I've always wanted to hear that...what you feel, what you're thinking." She slid a hand across the table, fingertips touching the sleeve of a hoodie, "We need to talk about it. We have a lot to talk about. Sometime we need to. But please...never be sorry for opening up to me. Please."

Frankie looked down at the fingers rubbing the opening in her sleeve, "A hard shell, huh?"

Bianca felt a burst of emotion at the line that had been said to her so long ago. "You or me?"

* * *

It was getting late, but Frankie ignored the bright red numbers illuminated on the alarm clock. She flipped though the small amount of pages in the large folder, rereading the information. A picture of a smiling Reese Williams, taken from her driver's license, stared back at her.

"I don't get you." muttered Frankie as she skimmed over the history again, "What am I missing? What changed for you? You only dated men. You were engaged to a man. Then all of a sudden you meet Bianca and bam...you guys are getting married and having kids together."

She took a gulp of the lukewarm coffee sitting on the side table next to the bed.

"Why did you switch so quickly? I know Bianca's hot but..." she rubbed at her eyes tiredness creeping in.

"Ok...scenario. You're walking along when all of a sudden you see this gorgeous chick sitting in a park with this little girl and you instantly fall in love. Now if that's true...why would you have a child so quickly?" she flipped through the pages again, exhaustion only escalating her confusion.

"Are you afraid you're gonna lose her, and this is the way to keep her? Is she afraid of losing you? Why would there be this fear? Was there even a fear?"

She reached for the cardboard cup and lifted it to her lips. She tilted it back, but nothing came out. It was empty. "New question, why is there no more coffee?"

She set the object back on the table and sighed, the itch for a cigarette starting to hum in her body. She plucked the little white stick that was resting on her ear and brought it to her lips, her other hand stumbling around on the table until she grasped the lighter. A few seconds later she was inhaling the much needed hit, the white smoke trailing out of the corners of her mouth.

"It's too soon. It seems too fast." she mumbled around the cigarette in her mouth.

Picking up her cellphone, she quickly dialed a number and held it up to her ear. She took the stick out of her mouth, smoke pluming behind it, "Johnson, get Washington and tell them I want a more in depth report on Williams." She waited a beat, "I don't care if that's all they have. Tell them to get me more information, now!"


	14. Chapter 13

A rumble of thunder groaned in the sky as tiny droplets of water pelted the earth. Dark clouds enclosed Paris, blocking out much, if not all, of the sun. The city was awash in gray, making it seem foreboding in the gathering blackness.

Bianca sat at her desk, trying not to tense at the loud boom of thunder. The storm was getting closer.

She randomly slid a folder over to herself and flipped it open. It was a summary of progress on the London deal from one of her vice presidents. She skimmed through the paper, forcing her eyes to stay on the page as the rain began to fall harder against the window.

She should be past this...was past this. Storms didn't scare her anymore. They didn't bring up those memories she had locked away for so long. Memories of rough hands and harsh words. The feel of his breath on the back of her neck. The pain as he pushed her against the rain covered window. The terror as his manic fingers ripped at her clothes.

It took a long time, but she didn't think of that when she heard thunder or saw a streak of lightning. Sometimes though, she would get an inkling of a feeling. A slight tense in her shoulders as a voice whispered in the back of her head that something wasn't right. That something was very very wrong. The rare times this happened, she could ignore it, but it would stay until she found something...something to remind her who she was. That nothing was wrong. That nothing bad was going to happen.

As a flash of lightning lit across the dark, quickly followed by a burst of thunder, the young CEO dropped her pen on the desk and stood up. She paced around until she found her cell phone in her coat pocket. Pressing number three, she instantly heard the ringing of the phone. She waited, using calming techniques she had learned when she was pregnant with both children to ease her breathing.

"Bon Jour, you have reached the cell phone of Reese Williams. I am sorry I cannot come to the phone..."

Bianca ended the call. The feeling was getting stronger. Her shoulders were tense, and her feet were begging to move somewhere...anywhere. They just needed to move.

Grabbing her coat, she slipped it on as she rushed for her office door.

* * *

"It's raining." grumbled Miranda, her tiny legs swinging back and forth.

"Yeah it is. I'd still take you to the park, but jumping in puddles is only fun when it isn't a torrential downpour." replied Frankie. "Not to mention your parents wouldn't like it if you caught a cold."

"I wouldn't catch a cold." groused the little girl.

"Trust me kid. Being inside in the rain is a lot better than being outside in the rain."

Miranda rested her chin on her hands, upset that the weather had changed for the worst. She was sitting up on the kitchen counter, her small legs kicking to her own special rhythm. Frankie leaned next to her, her chest resting against the smooth edge. Her forearms laid on the granite surface, her hands clasped together. Gabrielle sat over in her highchair, speaking to herself as she mashed her fingers together.

"Come on, kid. What do you want to do? Watch tv? Play a game? Eat lots of candy until you're bouncing off the walls?" Frankie sent her a grin.

A look of thought took over the cherub face.

Fingers reached out and danced across the child's side, causing her to giggle and bat at the hands.

"Stop! That tickles."

Frankie couldn't stop the growing smile at the sound of laughter, "This is for your own good. Looked like you were thinking so hard smoke was coming out of your ears. What would your mom say if she came home to a house full of smoke?"

"Frankie!" Miranda grasped at the deft fingers, missing every time.

"What do you wanna do, kid? Just tell me what you want to do." Frankie dodged the attempts at making her stop.

Laughing so hard she had trouble breathing, Miranda shouted out, "Cookies!"

Immediately the tickling stopped, "Cookies?"

Miranda smiled at the confused face, "I wanna make cookies."

The agent blinked, "You want to make cookies. Do we have cookie mix?"

Miranda shook her head as she held out her arms, "No silly. Mommy doesn't use mix."

Frankie slid forward and felt the arms wrap around her neck as legs wrapped around her waist. Locking her own arms securely behind the child's back, she took a step backwards. Seeing she wasn't going to drop her, she pretended to stumble around, the little girl giggling at her actions. Finally she dropped into a chair by the table, "Wow that was hard. You're so big...almost as tall as me."

Miranda removed her arms and legs from the around the woman, but stayed in her lap, "You're short."

Frankie chuckled at the matter-of-fact way the girl said it, "Yes, I am."

Miranda rested her head against the agent's chest, right above her heart. "Am I gonna be short like you?"

Frankie tried not to react as she felt the soft brush of brown hair against her chin and the light weight of the head on her upper chest. She fought back against the warmth spreading in her chest, not wanting to think about how this little girl could so easily make her have these feelings.

She swallowed roughly and pushed away the feelings before answering, "Doubt it. Have you seen your mom? She's crazy tall. Like a giant."

Miranda nodded her head as she took in the answer. After a second she lifted her head and jumped off the woman's lap. She looked at the agent, "We go make cookies. It's easy. Mommy makes them all the time."

Frankie watched as the girl walked away further into the kitchen."But I've never made cookies." she uttered under her breath as she stood up.

She followed Miranda and found her standing before one of the many cabinet clusters. "Ok cookie monster," the agent shoved her hands into her pockets as she stood next to the girl, "What do we need?"

Frankie waited as Miranda held a finger to her chin, perusing the many cabinet doors.

"Flour." she finally said with a nod.

"Flour," repeated Frankie, "Ok...where is that?"

Miranda looked up at the agent, clearly having no idea.

"Ok then," the agent let out a breath as she moved to open the first cabinet, "you just keep thinking about what we need and shout it out. I'll find it...somehow." The woman began to rummage through the first cabinet, pushing cans of soup and boxes of pasta out of the way.

"We need...sugar...and eggs...and chocolate chips...and skittles..."

"Skittles?" Frankie looked at the girl as she closed the first door and reached up for the next one.

"Skittles." confirmed Miranda.

"Ok, skittles it is." the agent reached up and swung the cabinet door open. She tilted back her head, but the cabinet was so high she still couldn't see inside it. Glancing around, she spotted the kitchen chair she had sat in earlier. She walked over and picked it up, ready to use it as a height booster.

"What are you doing?" asked Miranda, stopping Frankie in her tracks.

"I can't see up in there. This will give me enough height to be able to." explained the agent.

"Mommy says not to stand on chairs." Miranda scolded the woman.

"But kid..."

"No. Mommy said so." Miranda folded her arms and cocked a hip.

The agent looked at her before slowly setting the chair down, "Ok Ms. Montgomery. If mom says no, we don't do it."

She walked back over to the cabinets, wondering how in the world she was supposed to look up in there if she couldn't reach. Glancing back at Miranda, she knew she couldn't sneak the chair over and use it. The woman let out a sigh as she bent at her knees. Suddenly she was jumping up and down, catching brief glimpses of what was inside.

On the fourth jump she saw a box of flour.

"Perfect." she mumbled. Knowing it was probably the only box in the apartment, she crossed her arms as she studied the structure. Rubbing at her eyes, she turned to Miranda, "Kid. Never ever do this. This is for trained professionals only."

Seeing the child nod, she turned back to the cabinets and let out a breath. She opened the bottom cabinet and pushed the cans back from the top shelf. Placing her foot in the now open spot, she tested her footing before lifting up, her hands quickly clinging to the bottom of the top cabinet. Feeling the creak of the wood beneath her foot, she swiftly pushed up with one hand while the other blindly felt around the top shelf. Coming into contact with a box, she grabbed it and flung it to the ground.

"Is that it?" she called out.

The sound of little feet running over was accompanied by, "No. It's oatmeal."

"Oatmeal? Who eats oatmeal?" Frankie whispered as she swatted around again.

A loud boom of thunder shook the room.

"Frankie!" a frightened Miranda yelled as the lights flickered.

Startled at the sudden noise and light show, the agent tried to swing around and see what was happening. Her foot slipped on a package of who-knows-what, causing her weight to shift all onto her one hand. With a precarious grip at best, the loss of balance had her tumbling to the floor. She landed on her back with a smack, boxes and cans raining down from the sweep of her arm as she fell. Three cans hit her stomach as a box bounced off her head.

"Frankie! Are you ok?" shouted Miranda as she knelt next to the fallen agent.

Frankie groaned as she felt pain ricochet off her back and into her head. "This is why I never listened to moms."

She slowly sat up, willing the pain away. Tiny hands pushed on her back, trying to help. "You ok, kid?"

"Yeah. But you fell like a thousand feet!"

Frankie chuckled at that, "No...it was only a couple hundred at best." She sent the girl a reassuring wink as she carefully stood up, the cans rolling off of her body as she moved, "Don't worry. I'm fine."

Miranda, comforted by the agent's ability to still move...she had fallen a long ways...puttered over to the box that had made contact with the woman's head. "Look...flour!"

"Aces." Stone held a hand to her back, a loud pop sounding as she bent backwards.

"What're we gonna do with all this?" Miranda cradled the flour to her chest as she looked at the mess that now littered the floor.

"Leave it. We'll clean it up later."

After shaking off the fall, Frankie, along with Miranda's help, found all of the needed ingredients they thought might go into a cookie. Thankfully, all of the other ingredients had either joined in the great cupboard fall or were in a reachable location. Especially since the youngest Montgomery ordered the agent to never do that again.

"Ok, we have all the stuff. Now what?" Frankie arranged the boxes and cartons on the counter.

"We need a bowl." Miranda said, sitting back on the counter next to the carton of eggs.

Frankie hunted around and found a large metal bowl. She set it next to the other items. "What goes in first?"

"This stuff." Miranda handed over the box of flour.

Frankie took the box and opened it, "How much?"

When she was met with silence she glanced over to see the little girl shrug. "A lot."

"A lot it is." She tilted the box and put three-quarters of it into the bowl. "Should we put in the sugar?" At the agreeing nod, Frankie began to pour in the sugar, "Tell me when."

The child watched as about four cups of sugar made their way into the bowl, "Ok."

"Now the eggs." Miranda opened the container, revealing twelve perfect white eggs.

Frankie took hold of two eggs, carefully cracking them and dropping the insides into the bowl. Wanting to help, Miranda seized an egg of her own and scooted over to the bowl. Slamming the egg against the edge of the bowl, it cracked open and yolk began to run down the side of the bowl. Panicking, she thrust the sticky mess over the bowl, the rest of the yolk and white dropping into the mixture…along with half the shell.

"Oops." Miranda peered in at the gooey substance. She lunged forward, her tiny hand rooting around for the hard pieces. "Got it!" she pulled out the sloppy shell.

"Great, kid." Frankie closed the egg carton.

Hearing a giggle, she felt something cold and slimy against her cheek. "You gots stuff on your face. I'll get it…oops."

Having seen a sheen of white powder on the agent's face from when she had poured out the flour, the little girl attempted to wipe it away. Unfortunately, she still had egg and flour mixture on her hands.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." apologized Miranda as she realized what happened.

Frankie felt the stuff slither down her face, leaving a sticky train in its wake. Keeping her eyes on the girl, she suddenly jumped forward digging her fingers into soft sides as Miranda howled with laughter.

"You think that's funny, huh?" the agent tickled the little girl.

Miranda tried to crawl away from the torturous hands, her laughter echoing off the walls. She attempted to slide her body, wiggling across the granite surface as she flapped her arms. Her palm smacked into the mixing bowl, the hit causing the object to fly off the counter and bounce across the floor. Egg, flour, and sugar splattered on the furniture. Gabrielle could be heard banging on her chair at the sight.

"What is going on, here?"

Both Miranda and Frankie froze. They reluctantly turned their heads to see Bianca standing at the entrance to the kitchen, successfully hiding the amusement from her face.

"Cookies." was her answer.

She looked back and forth between the two. Miranda was flat out on the counter, half her body twisted away from the older brunette. There was flour on her face and egg covered her hands. Frankie had flour all over her clothes and face. Egg glistened on her cheek. Bianca moved her eyes to take in the rest of the kitchen. Boxes and cans of food were everywhere. The large metal bowl the two had been using was on its side, depositing what was left of the cookie mixture onto the ground. Gabrielle was in her chair, giggling and clapping her hands together.

"Cookies?" Bianca raised her eyebrows as she stepped farther into the room.

"Yes Mommy. We wanted to make cookies for you." responded Miranda as she scrambled away from her partner in crime.

"I see. And to make cookies you had to empty the cupboards?"

"That's my fault." Frankie cut in, not wanting the little girl to get in trouble for the mess. She stuffed her hands into her pants pockets, shoulders slightly hunched, "I was trying to get some stuff and it didn't quite work."

"What? Were you climbing on the cabinets?"

"Yeah! And she fell like a million feet!" answered Miranda with a wild gesture.

Bianca felt concern and worry shoot through her as she stepped over to the agent, "You fell? Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, Ms. Montgomery. Don't worry. I'm tough." Frankie shrugged, planting a smirk on her face.

"Tough?"

"Like a stone." Frankie winked. She felt two small arms wrap around her neck from behind, quickly followed by two legs. She automatically walked, giving the girl a piggyback ride over to a chair.

"Yeah…you're a tough one." Bianca couldn't hold in a smile at the sight.

Settling in her seat, Miranda looked up at her mom with big round eyes, "We're sorry mommy. We didn't mean to make a mess."

"Yeah mom. We're sorry." joined in Frankie as she executed a sad pout.

Bianca rolled her eyes, "It's ok. I appreciate that you wanted to make me cookies. What kind were you going to make?"

"Chocolate skittles."

"Chocolate skittles?" Bianca shot her daughter a confused look.

"Yep."

Frankie held up her hands as the mother gave her a questioning look, "Hey, don't look at me. She was the one in charge. I've never made cookies before."

Miranda gasped, "You've never made cookies before? Not even with your mommy?"

Bianca watched as Frankie shifted uncomfortably, "No…she was too sick to make cookies with me."

"You're mommy's sick? Is she gonna be ok?"

"I…I hope so."

"What's wrong with her?"

_Alcoholism_ "She's just sick."

"Miranda, sweetie, why don't you go clean up." suggested Bianca, understanding this was one topic the other woman did not like talking about.

Knowing she should listen to her mom, Miranda nodded and stood up. She encircled her arms around Frankie, giving her a hug. "I'm sorry you couldn't make cookies with your mommy." Then, she shuffled over to her mother and gave her a hug as well.

"Don't be mad, mommy. She wanted to help, but the stuff was too high 'cause you're crazy tall like a giant, and she couldn't stand on the chair, because you said no standing on chairs." was whispered into the young woman's neck as she knelt to hug her daughter back.

"I'm not mad, honey. Go wash up." She gave the girl one last squeeze.

After Miranda had left, Bianca hesitantly strode over to Frankie, who was picking up the fallen cans of soup.

"You got a little something…there." She couldn't stop the grin as she ran her thumb over the egg stain on Frankie's cheek.

"Thanks. Sorry about the mess, but you know me. Us strays have no manners at all." The shorter woman tried to play it off, ignoring the burning on the tips of her ears.

Bianca kept gently running her thumb back and forth, smoothing out the soft skin, "I'm sorry about Miranda. She just gets curious about things…"

"It's ok, Bianca. I've told you before. She's a good kid." Frankie shrugged, head bent down and eyes focused on her shoes.

"She likes you. She wants to get to know you." went on Bianca.

"That's cool. I…I like getting to know her too." Frankie quietly let out.

Feeling the heaviness of the mood, Bianca wanted to lighten it up before her wayward daughter came bounding back in. Not to mention the agent was not known for her openness to personal discussions. "Do I even want to know what was in those cookies?"

Frankie chuckled as she lifted her eyes to the CEO's, "Come on, Bianca. You know what was in there. All of your favorite ingredients."

"Chocolate?"

Frankie smirked, "Sugar, spice, and everything nice."

Bianca laughed at the corny joke.

"Mommy! There's no more soap!" vibrated down the hallway and into the kitchen.

"I better go help her." Bianca motioned towards the hallway.

"Yeah, don't keep a Kane waiting. Everybody knows better than to do that." joked Frankie.

"I'll be right back." Bianca shot her a smile, for some reason not wanting to leave.

"I'll be right here…figuring out my escape plan from having to clean this place up."

Noticing she was still touching Frankie's face, Bianca dropped her hand to her side with a slight blush. She turned and rapidly walked towards the doorway.

"Hey, Bianca." Frankie stopped her in her tracks, "If something was wrong, you could tell me. Whatever's bothering you…I may not be good at advice, but I can listen."

"What makes you think something is wrong?" Bianca kept her back to the woman.

"You're home early. You hugged your daughter like you hadn't seen her in forever. Not to mention you shake every time there's thunder."

"I forgot. You're an FBI agent. They probably taught you to read people."

"No," Frankie shook her head, "I know you. However little it may be…I know you. I know when you're scared."

"How's that?" Bianca swallowed roughly, trying to push down the emotions bubbling up.

"Because," Frankie took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Because…Bianca…I feel it. And it makes me want to protect you."


	15. Chapter 14

A few days after the cookie incident, Frankie was finally settling into a routine. She'd wake up and check-in with Johnson who would fill her in on the status of the rest of the agents. The next call would be to Campolini for an exchange of information concerning their respective divisions. Then she was off, leaving the temporary apartment they had found in Joan's building for a ride on the metro across town. Fifteen minutes later, give or take a few seconds, she was knocking on Bianca's door. She'd be greeted by an exuberant Miranda, giggly Gabby, and rushed Bianca. Depending on the time and hurried pace of the CEO, she'd either join the family for breakfast in the kitchen or pick up a pastry for the kids on the way to school.

This day it looked like there was time for breakfast as Miranda's smiling face opened the door.

"Hi Frankie!"

"Hey kid, where's your mom?" asked Frankie as she stepped inside the apartment.

"With Gabby."

"What's she doing with Gabby?"

"Changing diapers." Bianca appeared, her youngest daughter cradled in her arms.

"Eww." Miranda scrunched up her nose in disgust as she headed to the kitchen.

Bianca laughed softly seeing that Frankie had a matching expression on her face while shrugging out of her coat, "You know, Joan used to be here early enough that she would take care of that."

"And I'm sure she loves it. I, on the other hand, think you do a wonderful job at it and I would never dream of taking over such a bonding moment between you and your daughter." Frankie grinned at the mother as they slowly followed Miranda.

Bianca raised her eyebrows, her tone taking on a dry air, "Yes, I'm sure it's all about you not wanting to come between my child and I."

Frankie shrugged, "I know I'm no Joan. I haven't martyred myself because of the voices in my head, but I try to do what I can."

"Oh yeah, you're so selfless." Bianca rolled her eyes, "I guess I should bow down to you in thanks that you would so thoughtfully give up changing diapers for me."

"I know I know. I'm just that good of a person. But please, don't thank me for doing something that I know brings joy to your heart."

"Oh...and so modest too." Bianca playfully gasped as Frankie offered her a smug smile.

The two entered the kitchen, an impatient little girl sitting in her seat at the table. Her arms were crossed and a foot was tapping impatiently against he wooden leg of the chair.

"What took you guys so long?" she huffed upon seeing the adults.

The two women looked at each other, a silent agreement passing between them. Bianca carried Gabrielle over to the highchair as Frankie walked over to Miranda. She snagged a small bowl, box of cereal, and jug of milk on the way. After the cookie fiasco and subsequent clean up, she now knew where most items in the kitchen were located. She also happened to be banished from ever attempting to cook something there ever again, especially if the young Montgomery was with her.

"Sorry kiddo. You know how your mom gets when I'm near a kitchen. I had to promise her I wasn't going to blow anything up." Frankie set the objects down on the table and proceeded to pour some of the healthy looking cereal into the bowl. "What is this stuff anyways?"

"Grape nuts." Miranda answered as she watched her friend open the jug of milk and pour a little over the food.

"Grape nuts? Why are you eating that stuff?" Frankie looked at Miranda who could only shrug.

"Because it's good for her." Bianca walked up behind the agent and handed the little girl a spoon.

"Then get her a banana. Grape nuts? That doesn't even sound normal. What's a grape nut? They don't even have nuts." Frankie put the lid back on the milk and took the apple Bianca was holding out to her.

Bianca rolled her eyes as she stepped over to Gabrielle, setting the infant's breakfast down on the little tray table attached to her chair.

"Kids don't eat that stuff. I don't even eat that stuff." Frankie continued.

"And your maturity at times supports that." muttered Bianca.

"She should be eating...captain crunch." the agent ignored her.

"Captain crunch? What's that?" spoke up Miranda as she dug her spoon into the soggy cereal.

Frankie's eyes widened, "You don't know what captain crunch is? The best cereal in the world?"

Miranda shook her head as she shoveled some cereal into her mouth, a dribble of milk appearing at the corner of her mouth.

"Frankie, she doesn't need to eat that sugary stuff. She gets enough of it when Joan's here making waffles." Bianca watched the shorter woman pick up a napkin and wipe away the stray milk.

"Every kid should be able to eat captain crunch, Bianca. I lived off that stuff when I was a kid."

Bianca blinked, taking in the little tidbit, "You still act like a kid. Need I remind you that you were climbing up the cabinets?"

"Come on. The kid wants to eat it, right?" Frankie looked over at Miranda who nodded her head vigorously.

"No, we already bought Grape nuts."

"But look at her...she's so sad." Frankie pointed at Miranda, who on cue transformed her face into one of the saddest pouts Bianca had ever seen.

"No." Bianca shook her head, trying to hold back a smile at the two's antics. Seeing the pout wasn't working, Frankie and Miranda brought their heads together, quietly talking for a minute.

"There is only one way to decide this." Frankie lifted her head and faced the mother, "We'll play rock, paper, scissors for it."

"We'll what?" Bianca couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the conversation.

"It's the only way." Miranda nodded in agreement before slurping up the last drops of milk from her bowl.

"Go put your dishes in the sink." the mother absently ordered her daughter, her eyes on the other woman's smug features.

Miranda slid off her seat and gently held the bowl and spoon, careful not to drop them on the way to the sink.

As the child moved out of earshot, Frankie stepped up next to the taller woman.

"Rock, paper, scissors?" Bianca smiled at her.

"I was gonna suggest strip poker, but I don't think you would have agreed to that."

Bianca swallowed hard, feeling a blush come to her cheeks. She had forgotten how forward Frankie could be. She planted a smirk on her face to cover up her reaction."I don't know about that. I've never been against women stripping for me."

Frankie couldn't stop her jaw from dropping at the surprise comeback. She quickly slammed it closed, "Who says I would be the one stripping?"

Bianca shot her a saucy grin that caused the agent's eyes to take on a glazed look, "I'm not the good little girl you used to know. I have some tricks up my sleeve."

The other woman couldn't stop her eyes from taking in the beauty in front of her. She muttered something under her breath that Bianca didn't quite catch.

A loud bang snapped them both out of the moment. Frankie tensed, her hand automatically going inside her zip up hoodie as Bianca spun around to see Gabrielle slamming her hands on the tray table in some indecipherable rhythm.

Seeing nothing was wrong, Bianca turned back to the agent. Frankie slowly removed her hand from the hidden pistol, the appendage dropping listlessly to her side.

"What..uh...are your plans for the day? With the kids?" Bianca asked, feeling a sudden burst of embarrassment at their previous conversation and wanting to steer clear of it.

"I don't know." the glazed look was replaced with a glint of mischief, "Maybe boost a few cars, steal a woman's purse. Maybe I'll teach her how to jump in front of a car."

"What's boost cars?" Miranda innocently asked as she returned from the sink.

Hearing the question, Bianca shot the former street kid a glare. She watched as Frankie quickly grabbed her daughter's shoulders and spun her around, eliciting loud bursts of laughter from the dizzy child as the agent's fingers drifted down to tickle her sides.

"It's something you're never gonna do." the older woman replied as she mercilessly tickled the girl.

"Frankie, stop." Miranda gasped, "Mommy, save me!"

"Frankie, let her go. I need to be getting to work, and she needs to be heading to school." Bianca glanced at her watch, noticing the time.

The agent stopped her tickle attack and helped straighten out the wrinkles from the girl's clothing. She followed Miranda towards the front door, where the kid's shoes and coat were located. On the way, she lowered her voice as she paused by Bianca, "I know. I need to watch what I say around her."

She felt a slight touch on her shoulder, "It's ok. Don't worry about it."

Bianca soon followed them to the door, holding Gabrielle as Frankie helped Miranda put on her shoes and coat.

"Ok, so I'll probably be working late again, tonight." Bianca informed Frankie as she placed her daughter in the stroller the other woman had unfolded.

"Mommy, what about tonight?" Miranda asked, her wide eyes staring up at her mother.

"I'm going to be working tonight, honey."

"No. Mommy, you can't tonight."

"Why not?" Bianca furrowed her brow in thought.

"The recital!" Miranda stomped her foot in frustration.

"What recital?" Frankie asked as she saw Bianca cover her mouth.

"Her piano recital. It's tonight." answered Bianca before quietly wondering, "How could I have forgotten?"

"Yeah," Miranda turned to Frankie, her overstuffed pink coat making it more of a waddle, "I practice every day there's no school."

"And you're recital is tonight." Frankie finished, clearly having no idea about this event.

"You have to come, mommy. Everyone is gonna be there!" Miranda focused back on her mother.

Bianca stared down at her little girl, guilt filling her eyes, "I can't, baby. I have an important meeting tonight, and they'll only be here then. I can't push it back."

"No, you hafta be there!" tears started to form in those miniature brown eyes.

Bianca felt her heart break at the sight. She couldn't miss this meeting. It was with the representatives from London, and they were only going to be in Paris for a few hours to meet with her...and only her. Without this meeting, the deal would fall through. "I'm so sorry, honey. I can't. I'm so so sorry."

"No!" Miranda shouted, a tear squeezing from her eye and rolling down her cherub cheek.

Bianca felt her throat clench shut at the sight of her crying daughter.

"Hey, now. It's ok, kid. Don't cry." Frankie joined in, kneeling next to her. She sent a concerned gaze to Bianca as Miranda fell into her, burying her face in a soft cotton covered shoulder. Not used to people seeking comfort from her, especially little kids, Frankie awkwardly lifted a hand. She hesitantly placed it on the sobbing child's back, hoping it offered some form of comfort.

"Honey...Miranda." Bianca choked out, reaching for her. The child burrowed in deeper into the agent, her tiny fists clenching at the gray material.

Seeing her daughter move away caused Bianca to retract her hand. She placed it over her mouth, muffling the sob that formed.

"Shh. Hey kid, let's go. Ok? We should get you to school before the teacher thinks you've turned into a delinquent already." Frankie joked lightly. She barely felt the nod on her shoulder as the child wrapped her arms and legs around her body. She stood up, the girl clinging to her, head still hidden in her shoulder. The agent took a hold of the stroller and moved to the door. Slinging one arm underneath Miranda to help hold her, she stepped next to the teary eyed Bianca.

She stared at the crying mother, at a loss for words. She wanted to comfort her, but didn't know how. Finally, she offered her a sad smile, "Don't worry, I'll get her calmed down. She'll understand."

Bianca shook her head, choking on her words, "No...Frankie...she hates me. My baby..."

"Don't talk like that. Never say that. It's not true." Frankie clasped a hand around her wrist, "She loves you. You're her mother. She'll always love you. She's just...upset. But it's not a big deal. Go to work, we'll be here when you get back."

* * *

Miranda sniffed and hiccupped, her tears finally slowing down. She was curled against Frankie's side, the two resting on a park bench as Gabrielle dozed in her stroller a few feet away. The girl had been crying so hard, Frankie determined there was no way she could go to school. So, they played hookey. Frankie had taken the two kids to the park, finding the bench she had first met Miranda at. The park was almost empty. An older couple were sitting on the other side of the park, holding hands as they sipped at cups of coffee. One man was walking his dog around. Other then that, it was just the three of them.

"She promised." Miranda hiccupped, her head snuggled against the agent's side.

"She wants to be there. She's busy, though. Sometimes parents miss things because they're busy." Frankie wrapped her arm around the girl.

"Did your mommy miss stuff?"

Frankie clenched her jaw, willing herself not to think about all the things her mother had missed. "Yeah, yeah she did."

"Was she busy?"

"Your mom really wants to be there." Frankie steered the discussion away from her past.

"She promised."

"I know, but something came up. She has to do this for her job. Once she does it, she'll have a lot more time to spend with you."

Miranda whispered something. Not hearing it, Frankie leaned down, "What was that?"

"She loves her job more than me." Miranda whispered, fresh tears rolling down her cheeks.

Frankie immediately pulled her closer, turning the little girl so she faced her, "That's not true. Don't think that. She loves you, Miranda. More than anything. Don't forget that."

Miranda sniffled, a small hand coming up to rub at her red eyes.

Desperate to remove the devastated look from the child's eyes, Frankie fiddled with her chain necklace. "I...uh...I got something for you."

Miranda looked up at her as she continued, "I didn't know when to give it to you. I was planning to later. I just got it back. Had it cleaned."

She reached into her inner coat pocket and carefully pulled out a small box. Miranda watched, her eyes drying, as the agent shakily lifted the lid off the black box and pulled out a gold chain, a shimmering golden heart dangling from the end.

"This...uh...this was given to me a long time ago. Someone very special gave it to me to remind me that I was loved. That I had their heart." She wore a bittersweet smile as she twisted the necklace in her fingers. "I should have given it back a while ago. It hasn't belonged to me in a long time...not really. But I wasn't sure, and didn't want to. I had hoped...but...it was stupid...never mind. It isn't mine. I haven't had their heart in a long long time."

Miranda listened, not understanding what she was being told, but knowing it was important. She gasped as the necklace was delicately wound around her neck, the heart locket glistening against her pink coat.

"Out of everyone, this belongs to you the most. You have her heart. Your mother has loved you more than anything since you were born. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out. So, you should have it. Wear it, and remember your mom loves you."

Miranda tilted her head, staring down at the heart. Then, she launched herself into Frankie's arms, hugging the agent with everything she had.

* * *

The soles of Frankie's sneakers squeaked on the marble flooring, standing out from the clacking of heels echoing off the walls in the large auditorium's foyer. The lobby was spacious, to say the least. Wallpaper, supposedly from the time of Louis XIV, adorned the walls, accented by gold lining. Enormous gold and crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, hovering over the area like giant clouds of wealth. The pure white Italian marble glistened in the light, reflecting the rays towards the extravagant mahogany doors that led to the actual auditorium.

"Who does she gets lessons from? The pope?" muttered Frankie as she hoisted Gabrielle further into her arms. The bewildered agent slowly walked through the lobby, eyes unable to look away from the clearly expensive decorations.

"Excuse me. May I help you?" a snide voice finally turned the agent's vision away from the golden inlays.

She noticed a small portly woman standing by the entrance doors, a clipboard in hand. She was clothed in what could only be a designer dress. The black gown draped over her prominent curves, flowing down to the floor and disappearing in a train behind her. Large diamond earrings gave a hint of sparkle, overpowered by the diamond encrusted necklace that had to be worth more money than the brunette had ever seen in her life.

"That's ok, I know where I'm going." Frankie turned to head into the next room, but the clearing of a voice stopped her.

"I'm sorry, but this is a piano recital." the woman made a show of observing Frankie's clothing. She was dressed in the same clothes she had worn earlier: a green t-shirt, gray hoodie, blue jeans, and black sneakers. "McDonald's is down the street."

Frankie narrowed her eyes at the intended insult, "I am here for the recital. I'm here to see Miranda Montgomery."

The woman gave her a skeptical look, "Are you her mother?"

"No lady, I'm just some crazy person off the street who likes to watch kids play the piano." the sarcasm dripped off each word that left Frankie's mouth.

The woman huffed at the attitude, "Why I never..."

"Had a burger? Coulda fooled me. Maybe you should go down to Micky-D's and get yourself one. That is, if you left any for them. Here, I'll even pitch in a few euros. I know it's not much, but it's all us crazy street people can afford."

Before Frankie could fish out a few coins, the woman stormed away, the train of her dress tripping a few other parents as they tried to get past her.

The brunette let out a sigh and glanced at Gabrielle, "Don't tell your mom about that."

Gabrielle let out a happy giggle and hooked her fingers around the shiny silver chain resting against her nanny's throat. Ignoring the tugging against her neck, Frankie moved into the auditorium and scanned the room for an open seat. Her eyes landed on the only open spot. Two seats were open right next to each other...in the middle of a row.

With a heavy sigh, she trudged down the aisle. Eyes of well-dressed patrons followed the roguish form as she finally stopped at the end of the row.

"Excuse me. I need to get through."

The suit clad man stood up as his wife daintily slid her crossed legs slightly to the side, opening up an inch more space in the crammed spot between the two rows. Shifting the baby so she didn't smack anyone with her swinging legs and arms, the agent stumbled her way past the coiffed parents, tripping on purse straps and leather shoes.

"Jesus, that was harder than dodging the beer bottles in a bar fight." Frankie slumped into her seat. Gabrielle looked up at her with bright eyes as she tugged at the silver chain. The adult shook her head, "Don't ask."

She looked around, settling her focus on the big stage where a gleaming black piano stood proudly, waiting for someone to fill the room with its beautiful sound.

"Oh dear, what a cute little girl you have there."

Frankie glanced over to see her new neighbor cooing at Gabby. The woman had to be in her seventies, a shock of white hair sitting atop her wrinkling face. She was dressed to the nines, just like everybody else.

"You must be here to see your older sibling. Who are you here for?" she directed the question at Frankie.

"She's here to see her sister Miranda." Frankie tightened her hold on the child as she began to squirm at the old lady's attention.

"Ah yes. I'm sure she'll do wonderfully. But dear...didn't you know these events call for a certain...decorum?" she pointedly stared at Frankie's clothes.

"Yeah...well...I was gonna make a sign with big rainbow markers and glitter to help her spot us when she got up there. Want her to know we showed up. But, we axed that idea and decided to dress like this instead."

"Oh...very good, then." the woman turned back to her husband, catching the smirk on the agent's face.

Soon the lights dimmed and a woman walked out onto the stage, giving an introduction to the night's show. Frankie tuned her out, not really caring about how these people paying thousands of dollars helped their kids learn to play 'Mary had a Little Lamb'. After the introduction, the woman left and one by one, small children nervously made their way to the imposing black piano.

After about a half-hour, Frankie was contemplating taking her gun and smacking the handle against the back of her head so she wouldn't have to listen to another halting version of Beethoven. For one, she wasn't a parent and therefore was not naturally equipped with the patience to listen to children butcher songs all evening. Two, none of these kids mattered to her anyway. The only kid she was here for was Miranda, and that little rascal had yet to make her presence known.

As a little boy, whose name Frankie didn't know and didn't really care to know, banged out the end of the most horrendous version of a song the agent had ever heard, she felt a body smoothly slip into the seat next to her.

"Did she go yet?" Bianca whispered as she smoothed out her business skirt.

"You haven't missed anything except a bunch of kids who should never go near a musical instrument ever again." Frankie reassured with a small smile as she flicked her gaze over to the visibly nervous mother.

A sigh of relief left Bianca's lips as she felt some of the tension escape from her limbs. She had practically ran there from her office, the taxi driver for once going too slow for her taste.

"I thought you had a meeting." the two watched as the boy stood up next to the piano bench, a smattering of applause greeting his bow.

"I canceled it. I couldn't miss this. I promised her."

"What about London?"

"Fuck London."

Bianca felt a gentle nudge against her shoulder and looked down into the grinning face, "Skipper."

Bianca couldn't help the happy feeling at the teasing. She nudged back, "You're one to talk. How many times did you skip out on work at Opal's?"

"If I remember correctly, someone kept distracting me so I couldn't work."

"Distracting?"

"Those big brown eyes and adorable laugh...how could I leave that to go sweep floors at the Glam?"

"So, it's my fault you couldn't get to work on time."

"No, it was your fault I forgot work even existed."

Any answer was cut off as the next child slowly crept towards the piano.

It was Miranda.

Both women sat up straighter in their seats as the little girl pulled herself up onto the bench. She took her time placing her fingers on the keys, making sure they were all in the right spot. Then, she began to play.

It wasn't much, just a little diddy most beginners probably had to play. She stumbled over a few notes, still not completely comfortable with the task, especially in front of such a large crowd. It didn't matter to Bianca and Frankie, though. They watched with rapt attention, as the girl pressed down on the white keys, her face twisted in concentration. As she hit the finally note, the two women jumped to their feet, clapping loudly, ignoring the disapproving stares from the other parents. Miranda squinted towards the audience, her eyes lighting up at the sight of her mother in the crowd. Before she could do anything, the instructor ushered her off the stage, motioning for the next child to go out.

Seeing tears of pride threatening to spill down porcelain cheeks, Frankie jerked her head to the side, "Why don't we sneak backstage."

Bianca nodded, subtly wiping at her eyes as they stumbled their way back down the aisle. After getting past the obstacle course of purses and shoes, they raced up the open path and through the wooden doors.

"Which way?" Frankie asked, once again in the expensive foyer.

"This was your idea." Bianca peered around.

"Doesn't mean I know where I'm going."

"Haven't you ever snuck inside a theatre before?"

"Glad to see you think so highly of me...and it was a movie theater not Buckingham Palace."

After a minute of thought, Frankie tugged on Bianca's wrist, "Let's try this way."

They walked to the end of the foyer and through an unmarked door. Their feet led them down the bare hallway and soon they found themselves surrounded by excited children.

"Found it." Frankie offered a smug smile.

"I knew you could sneak us back here."

"So happy to prove I haven't lost my criminal abilities."

They meandered past the groups of bouncing toddlers and preteens until Bianca stopped in her tracks, Frankie and Gabrielle almost smashing into her back.

Miranda stood about a foot away, her pretty pink dress swishing by her patent leather clad feet. She looked up at her mother, a huge smile breaking out across her face. Bianca opened her arms and was soon cradling her daughter in them, rocking them back and forth as she peppered kisses on top of the child's head.

"You made it." Miranda's muffled voice reverberated against her mother's chest.

"I made it." confirmed Bianca in a broken voice, "I love you. I love you so much. I'm sorry, honey."

"It's ok mommy, don't cry." Miranda pulled back to see the tears rolling down her mom's face. She lifted a hand and rubbed at wet cheeks, drying her mother's tears.

"You were great. I'm so proud of you."

"I messed up." Miranda admitted, looking down.

"No, you didn't. You were perfect. You were the best one out there." Bianca placed a finger under her daughter's chin and lifted it up so she could look in her eyes. "I love you. I'm sorry you thought I wouldn't be here. I'm always going to be here for you. You are the most important thing in my life."

Miranda sniffled, "I love you, mommy."

The two hugged again, holding on to each other. They had to let go sometime, though, and Miranda looked over at Frankie as her mother stepped to the side, a hand on her shoulder.

"Frankie!"

The agent was standing a little ways away, not wanting to get caught up in the emotional moment. "Hey kid."

"What did you think?"

"Hmmm," she pretended to think about it, "I think you wear way too much pink. We have to work on your fashion."

"Stop being silly." Miranda laughed as the agent stepped up to them, still keeping a fair amount of space between herself and the duo.

"Silly? I'm not silly...I'm cool."

"You're silly. Isn't she mommy?" Miranda looked up at her mom.

"Very silly. Face it Frankie...you aren't James Bond." Bianca laughed at the playful look of horror on the agent's face.

"I am so much better than James Bond. I am way cooler than that guy could ever hope to be."

Before the conversation could go further, Miranda let out a loud yawn.

"Looks like someone's sleepy." Bianca wrapped her arm around the girl's shoulders as she leaned into her.

"I'll take you guys home." Frankie motioned for them to head towards the exit.

"Miranda, why don't you go get your backpack and say bye to your friends." Bianca suggested. The little girl nodded and walked off, joining up with a small gaggle of girls.

Bianca turned her eyes to Frankie, who was studiously looking at the baby in her arms and not at the other woman.

"Frankie..."

"It was a good thing, what you did." the shorter brunette cut in.

Bianca let out a sigh, "I'm glad I was able to get here on time."

"It really made her day."

"Know what would really make her day?"

"What?"

"You not being so far away."

Frankie's head snapped up at that, "I'm not far away. I'm right here."

"You almost left when Miranda and I were talking."

"I wanted to give you two some space. It was your moment."

"And after?"

Frankie rubbed at her face, "Bianca, what are you getting at?"

"You're trying to back away, Frankie. Don't think I didn't notice you changed the subject when Miranda asked you what you thought. You turned it into a joke."

"Bianca..."

"What are you scared of? Did going to an event like this...with parents...make you uncomfortable?"

"That's not what..."

"Is it her wanting to make you proud? Because she wants to. Just like she wants to make me."

"It's not like..."

"You two are getting so close and than you go to this and you all of a sudden back away from her. You didn't even tell her she did a good job. She may not show it, but she wants to hear it."

"I can't get close to her!" Frankie nearly shouted. Taking a deep breath, she lowered her voice, twitchy hands giving Gabrielle over to her mother. "I can't get close to her. I'm not going to be here forever. I'm going to be leaving sometime."

Bianca stared at her, "Bullshit. It's a little too late for that, and you know it. You're scared. Scared that you really care about my daughter. That she really cares about you."

Frankie ran a hand through her hair, "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't do this, Frankie. Not to her. Don't run from her."

"I'm not running." Frankie mumbled.

"Frankie..."

"It's just hard sometimes."

"What is?"

"Knowing it's not mine. None of it is ever going to be mine."


	16. Chapter 15

Bianca fiddled with the back of the earring, glancing at herself in the mirror as she put the simple diamond studs in. Her image reflected back at her, showing exhausted yet hopeful eyes. After the previous day's showdown with her daughter that had resulted in enough tears to fill the Seine, the mother had decided to take some time off of work to spend with her children. The London deal was off, so there wasn't much going on right then anyway.

She stood up, smoothing the wrinkles out of her black cashmere sweater. With one last glance at her make-up, she left her bedroom, padding softly down the hall towards her daughters' rooms. Reaching Miranda's first, she lightly knocked before pushing the door open.

"Mimo, are you awake?"

She was greeted with a muffled "oomph" and the sight of the little girl staggering around her room, her arms and head entangled in a yellow Sponge Bob t-shirt. Chuckling at the image, Bianca stepped into the room and grasped at her daughter, stopping the now wiggling body from making the twisted mess even worse.

"Hold on. Here we go." she found the edges of the shirt and pulled down, slipping the garment into place.

"Thanks Mommy." Miranda beamed at her before rushing off to her closet. She practically threw her tiny body into the massive space, diving into a pile of coats. After a minute of burrowing down into the lump of plastic and wool, her head popped out, joined a second later by a bright baby blue jacket.

"What are you doing, honey?" Bianca watched her daughter clumsily pull the first sleeve over her arm.

"Getting my coat. Frankie is coming."

"Miranda, your coat is out in the coat closet, and Frankie won't be here for a few minutes."

Miranda shook her head, "No, I don't want that one."

"Why not? You love that coat."

"It's pink. I like this one."

"Miranda, you love pink. It's your favorite color." Bianca kneeled in front of the child.

"No it's not. Too much pink." Miranda jammed her hand through the opening in the sleeve.

Bianca sighed, placing her hands on the little girl's to still her actions. "Miranda...is this about last night?"

She shrugged, eyes shining, "She said too much pink."

Bianca squeezed the tiny hands in her own, "Frankie was just joking. She doesn't think you wear too much pink. She was being silly."

A shake of the head, "No. She said so. If I don't wear so much pink, she'll..."

"She'll what?"

"Not be mad at me." was whispered.

Reacting to the tears in her daughter's eyes, Bianca quickly pulled her into a tight hug, "She isn't mad at you. Why would you think that?"

"She didn't say anything! After I came back she left and didn't say anything!" was choked out.

Bianca rubbed soothing circles on her back. After Frankie's confession, Miranda had shown up ready to go. Taken out of the moment, the agent had swiftly clammed up, putting up walls faster than any builder known to mankind. She was silent the rest of the time, escorting Bianca and the girls back to their apartment and leaving almost as soon as the door opened.

"Shh, that wasn't about you. Frankie likes you. She really cares about you." she silently cursed the other woman. Why did Frankie have to do that? It was like tug-o-war with her. One moment she was pushing, flashing her charming grin and sweet talking her way into her life. The next moment she was pulling away, backing up and all but heading for the hills. Now her daughter was having to deal with this emotional game.

"She's not mad?" the small voice sniffled.

"No honey, she's not mad."

"Then why did she leave?"

Bianca looked into innocent brown orbs, "I don't know. Maybe she was tired."

"Then she should go take a nap." Miranda's words caused her mother to laugh.

"I'm sure she did. Now how about we go get breakfast started. Go brush your teeth, and Gabby and I will meet you in the kitchen." Bianca ran a hand through the child's smooth chestnut hair. It made a path down the almost miniature face, wiping away the sadness, and came to rest where her neck met her shoulder.

Feeling something cool to the touch, Bianca glanced down to see a flash of gold peek out from underneath the yellow shirt. Having never seen it before, she rubbed her fingertip against it, "What's this?"

Miranda's features immediately transformed into a smile, seemingly forgetting the earlier conversation. "Frankie got it for me. It's really neat."

The girl tugged at the chain, "She was saying something about it being special. I didn't understand, though."

With one final tug from the tiny fingers, Bianca watched as a golden heart shaped locket bounced out of its hiding spot and against the front of the girl's shirt.

Her breath caught in her throat.

No. It couldn't be.

There's no way it could be.

How could she have had it?

"Mommy!"

Bianca blinked, tearing her eyes away from the necklace and focusing on her daughter's confused look.

"Are you listening?"

"Y-yes, I am. Miranda...what did she say to you?"

Miranda huffed, having already explained it if her mother only listened to her. "She was being weird. She said it was a heart. Someone gave it to her, but it wasn't hers. How could it not be hers if someone gave it to her?"

Bianca furrowed her brow, trying to understand what she was being told, "She said it didn't belong to her?"

"No. She said it belonged to me."

Bianca couldn't stop her eyes from drifting back to the locket. A hand hesitantly reached out, needing to touch it. Needing to know it was real, that it was what she thought it was.

Shaky fingers met the familiar surface, "What?"

"She said 'I have her heart,' and that you loved me. She said I'm supposed to wear it and remember you love me."

Bianca jerked her hand back as if she had been burned, covering her mouth as a gasp escaped her lips.

"Mommy, are you ok?" Miranda noticed her mother's face turning pale.

All Bianca could do was nod. She rapidly blinked back the tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. She took a few deep breaths, trying to slow down the pounding of her heart. Taking a gulp of air, she quickly got out, "Go, brush your teeth."

Miranda stared at her, wanting to make sure she was ok. After receiving a watery smile, she bolted out of the room.

Hearing her daughter enter the bathroom, Bianca slowly collapsed to the floor, hugging her knees as she curled into herself. How could this be happening?

She shook her head. It was a simple locket, it shouldn't be bringing out these feelings, these feelings of hope and loss and god knows what else. It was only a locket.

Only a locket her father had given to her before he passed away.

_  
"I'm afraid Travis..."_

"_What, what mom? You're scaring me."_

"_Earlier in the evening, I think that Travis suffered a massive stroke."_

Only a locket she had given to a girl she couldn't stop thinking about.

_  
"You need to know that somebody loves you. That I love you."_

Only a locket that had been accepted by the girl she was crazy about.

_  
"You gave me your heart."_

"_You still got it."_

Only a locket her mother had tried to replace.

_  
"So this one can replace the one you gave Frankie, and all the bad memories that go with it."_

"_And we can just start over, right. We can just pretend that Frankie's murder never happened, right."_

"_No, of course not. We can't do that, but..."_

"_Come on mom, it is so easy for you, isn't it? You can just create your own reality. Get Val on the job...spend a lot of money. You can erase the past. It's like nothing bad has to happen."_

Tears began to roll down her cheeks, matching the ones that had been present in her eyes when her mother had presented her with the silver look-alike for her birthday. The imposter that was supposed to replace the heart she had given to Frankie. Make it seem like the girl she had wanted everything with was never even there.

"Damn you, Frankie Stone."

She slowly stood up, roughly wiping away the traitorous tears. "You don't get to do this. You're going to talk to me if it's the last thing we do."

Hearing a knock at the door, she caught the flash of yellow and blue as Miranda raced to answer the door.

"Hi Frankie!" echoed down the hall as Bianca dragged her body towards the entrance. She listened to the conversation as she slowly made her way there.

"Hey kid. Where's your mom? And what's with the blue? Is it new?"

"No, silly."

"Where's the pink one?"

"I don't want pink."

"Why not?"

"Pink is stupid."

"Stupid? I thought it was your favorite."

"Nuh uh."

She paused at the corner, watching the two. She caught a glimpse of understanding pass on the agent's face.

"Why would you think pink is stupid? It's really cool."

"It is?"

"Yeah, of course it is. Like...the pink power ranger. She was cool. She beat up bad guys and stuff."

"Really?"

"Yeah. How are you going to be like the pink ranger if you're wearing blue?"

Miranda thought for a second before jerking her arms out of the sleeves, "I wanna wear the pink one, Frankie."

"Aces, kid." Frankie lifted her eyes from the child, the laughing brown orbs landing on Bianca. The mirth was replaced with confusion and concern as she took in the reddening eyes and somber face.

"Hey kid, why don't you go get a seat at the table. Don't want to lose your spot. I'll be in soon." the agent glanced down at the smiling child and motioned towards the kitchen.

Miranda ran off to the other room, dropping the blue jacket in her wake.

After making sure the little girl was occupied in the kitchen, Frankie stepped over to the visibly upset mother. "Hey, what's going on? What's wrong? Where's Gabby?"

Bianca stared blankly at her, "In her room."

Frankie shot her a worried look, "Ok. I'll go get her. Just stay here."

The agent slid past the younger woman, intent on retrieving the baby and checking that everything was fine.

She felt a slight tug on her coat sleeve as stiff fingers dug into the soft leather, "Frankie..."

She turned back to Bianca and was taken aback by the look she encountered. She swallowed hard at the searching gaze, uncomfortable at the intensity. The shorter woman took a step backwards, "I'll be right back. Go help Miranda before she pulls another cookie mess."

Bianca watched as Frankie ducked into her youngest's room, a hand calmly nestled inside her jacket, most likely touching the weapon she hid beneath it. A few seconds later she emerged with the infant, Gabrielle held out at arms length like she was re-enacting the Lion King or something.

"Bianca, I know we talked about my selfless act with the diaper changing and all. Um...that still actually holds right now. I'm not that strong to deal with...that."

Acting on instinct, the mother took the baby from Frankie and walked back into the bedroom. A few minutes and one diaper later, the two left and went into the hallway, spotting Frankie and a now pink clad Miranda standing by the door.

"We're about ready to go. I'll get the stroller." Frankie turned towards the closet where the contraption was stored.

Miranda bounced over to her mother, a gleam in her eye. "I am the pink ranger!" Then, with the skill only a six year old could posses, she executed a karate chop that nearly sent her body flying head over heels, "Hy-yu!"

"Kid, we only use that against bad guys." Frankie called from the closet as she wrestled with the stroller.

"I was practicin'."

"Practicing? You don't need practicing. You're a natural." Frankie finally got the stroller out and unfolded. She wheeled over to Bianca, who carefully placed the infant in her seat. However, unlike usual, she grabbed the handles of the stroller.

"I was thinking of going with you, if that's ok."

"Really Mommy? You're gonna go to school with me?"

Bianca softly chuckled at her oldest child, "I'll walk to school with you, if you like."

"Cool!" Miranda shouted as she turned to Frankie, "Mommy's coming with us."

Frankie nodded as she opened the door, shooting the other woman a confused look. Frankie exited first, followed by Miranda with Gabrielle and Bianca pulling up the rear. They made the short walk to Miranda's school, the two adults quiet as the child excitedly regaled her mother with the story of the pink power ranger. When they reached the school, Miranda gave her mother a big hug, the woman giving her a loving squeeze in return. The child then turned to Frankie , wrapping her arms around the agent's waist as the woman stiffened and gave her a pat on the back.

"You...uh...look comfortable today." Frankie cringed at the sentence.

Bianca nodded, staring after her departing daughter, "I'm taking some time off to spend with my family."

"That's good. That's...really good."

Silence filled the air as Frankie looked down at her shoes, scuffing the ground with her toe while Bianca watched.

"Miranda really cares about you, Frankie." Bianca broke the air.

"She's a good kid."

"She also really cares about what you think."

A sigh, "Bianca..."

"She was ready to completely switch her wardrobe for you."

"I didn't mean it that way."

"How was she to know."

"I thought she did, ok. I need to watch what I say, I get that."

"Do you really? What you do affects her. She was upset this morning because she thought you were mad at her."

"I was never mad at her."

"You didn't say anything to her last night except for that stupid comment on the color pink."

"And I made up for that. What do you want from me?"

"I want you to act the way you know you should."

"Oh yeah, how's that? You might not remember, but I don't have a lot of kid experience." sneered Frankie.

"Don't make everything a joke. Talk to her. Be supportive."

"I do."

"Do it better!"

"I'm not her parent, Bianca!" Frankie snapped her head up, angry eyes glaring at Bianca.

"You better start acting like one! Whether you like it or not, she sees you like that. She looks up to you." Bianca raised her voice.

"Sorry, guess my amazing mother-daughter experience didn't pass on. Oh wait...I didn't have one...and I'm not a parent anyways!"

"Stop trying to blame this on your past, Frankie. You had it bad, I get it. But don't take it out on my daughter." Bianca stepped closer to Frankie.

"You're one to talk. I've been with these kids day after day. Where have you been?"

"You're right. I was spending a lot of time away from them. Too much time. I'm making up for that, now."

"Damn right, I'm right."

Bianca took another step, now toe to toe with the other woman, her voice lowering, "Then why can't you just admit and deal with the fact that you care about these two girls."

Frankie bit her lip and looked away from the emotional stare, "Bianca..."

"What Frankie? Is it that you don't know how to handle it?" She shot a hand out, clutching the agent's arm as she tried to turn away, "Just feel it. Own it."

"You don't know what you're saying." Frankie jerked her arm against the tight grip.

"Tell me I'm wrong. Tell me you don't feel it."

Frankie ripped her arm away and turned her back, "Is that what you want to hear? That I care? Fine. I care. Happy?"

The agent began to storm away, but Bianca stopped her in her tracks, "Why did you give it to her?"

With her back still turned, "Give what?"

"Why? Why say all of that and give it to her?"

Frankie took a deep breath, rubbing hard at her face, "It's no big deal, ok."

"Yes it is, and you know it." Bianca slowly moved towards the other woman.

"No, it's not. I just gave her the necklace. Thought it would look better on her."

"Those things you said to her, about her being my heart and it not belonging to you. Was that true?"

"God Bianca, I was talking, alright? How do you even know if anything I say is true?"

Bianca stepped in front of the agent, now face to face with her, "Look at me and tell me everything is a lie. It's all a lie."

Silence met her request. Frankie restlessly moved in place, shifting her weight and crossing her arms.

Bianca took a tiny step closer, "You know what it meant to me. What that locket stood for. Whether you act like it or not, I know you saw it the same way."

"Bianca don't..."

"Act like it doesn't matter. Go ahead and break it even. You did it before. But I know, Frankie. I know that inside you care. You are gentle and caring. What you did...giving the locket to Miranda and saying those things to her, proves that."

Bianca could feel the cracks of vulnerability breaking through the agent's exterior as she ran the back of her hand against Frankie's cheek. She felt a slight tremble as she met smooth skin.

"You're a good person, Frankie. Such a good person."

Frankie shook her head, staggering back, "Stop. Stop it."

Bianca let her hand fall away, the agent stepping back a few feet. "How did you get it?"

Frankie shrugged, digging a hand into her pockets desperately.

A thoughtful look crossed the pale face, "Mom found the locket with...the body. She found it, and the police took it for evidence."

As her fingers grazed the cigarette package in her jacket pocket, Frankie couldn't stop her mind from flashing back.

_  
She felt like she couldn't breathe. The burning pain in her chest was suffocating, making it impossible to feel anything other than the pain. Her mind was in a fog, barely able to maintain consciousness._

_  
Movement and voices around her somehow filtered in through the fog. She cracked open her eyes, her head pounding as she squinted at the bright lights. _

_  
Blurry shapes moved around her. She finally noticed she was lying face down as hands carefully turned her body, settling her on her back. She didn't know where she was or what was happening. She tried to focus on the moving blurs, the pain making it nearly impossible. _

_  
Out of the kaleidoscope of colors and shapes, a hand appeared, grasping at her. As it wrapped around her fist, she noticed for the first time that something was entangled in her hand. Something was wound around her fingers while there was a weight in her palm._

_  
The mysterious hands tried to pry her fist open. She clenched it closed, the metal biting into her fingers. For some reason, this thing was important. She couldn't let them have it._

_  
"Michaels, we need that thing."_

_  
"It's just a necklace."_

_  
"We need to make sure the scene looks the same."_

_  
Voices floated into her head, slipping past the incessant pounding. Feeling the hand pick at her fingers, she tried to move away, groaning as pain shot through her body, "No."_

_  
"Come on, Stone."_

_  
"No...it's mine." she slurred, a metallic taste on her tongue. _

_  
"Just give it here."_

_  
"No." she weakly got out with a cough. Warm liquid filled her mouth, the taste of metal intensifying._

_  
"Michaels, we gotta get her outta here. Get the damn necklace!"_

_  
The hand tore at the object, finally breaking it free, "I'm sorry, Stone."_

_  
Tears fell from her eyes, coating with the blood spilling from her mouth, "No. Give...heart."_

_  
"I'll get it back to you, I promise." was whispered as she felt herself being lifted up._

_  
"Bianca."_

"Frankie?"

The agent looked up at her name, the package slipping from her fingers. "I got it back. That's all."

"Are you ok?" Bianca reached a hand out to the sweating woman.

"I'm fine."

Bianca pulled her hand back and looked at her with sad eyes, "We need to talk."

"We are talking. We talk every day."

"About everything. We need to talk about everything that happened." Bianca ignored the remark.

"No, we don't." Frankie crossed her arms.

"Yes, we do," was sighed, "Please Frankie...we can't...we need to do this."

Unable to ignore the pleading gaze, Frankie relented, "Later. We'll talk later."

"Tonight."

"Fine...tonight."


	17. Chapter 16

"_Hey Stone, congrats." one of the agents patted her on the back as he walked past her. _

_She couldn't help the smile that seemed to be permanently plastered across her face as she glanced up at the well wisher. She looked around the busy office, suits and uniformed cops walking back and forth, some sitting at their desks answering phones, others shuffling around with folders and cups of coffee. It was always busy the few times the young woman had entered the FBI headquarters. There always seemed to be some big crisis going on that needed immediate attention. _

_The clearing of a voice brought Frankie's attention back to the pile of papers splayed out in front of her. "The sooner you fill these out, the sooner you can get the hell outta here."_

_Rolling her eyes, she flipped a page, signing her name at the bottom, "What Luke? Don't want me hanging around? And here I thought you were adopting me."_

_"Don't be a smartass, Stone."_

_"I thought you loved my smarts."_

_"No, I loved that you were stupid enough to get caught up in one of the biggest drug rings this group has ever seen. The only time you showed brains was when you came to us about flipping."_

_"I'm crushed. I was only a nark to you?" sarcastically replied Frankie as she tossed the pen onto the desk, finished with the papers._

_"A nark with good enough instincts to go into hiding." the man gathered up the papers and placed them into a folder, "Congrats, you are now officially out of the program. Welcome back, Frankie Stone."_

_"You're sure it's all over with?" The flash of uncertainty in her brown eyes passed by so quickly no one caught it._

_"Yes. We just convicted the last scumbag a week ago,"_

_"With my Emmy winning testimony," injected Frankie._

_"And the leader died a little while ago when she fell off the cliff."_

_The news of Vanessa's death, her aunt's death, had been one of the happiest bits of news the girl had received. She'd be lying if she said she didn't drink a toast to the news. But hey, so did the two police officers guarding her at the time. A shot of vodka for everyone._

_"So smartass, you are home free. Nothing to be scared about."_

_"I wasn't scared." quickly informed the brunette as she stood up._

_"Whatever you say." the man shook his head, "Anyways, we got you a nice little place in Jersey, if you want it. A job lined up for you at the local supermarket and some cash to float you until you get going on your feet."_

_He took a deep breath before continuing, "If that doesn't sound like you're cup of tea, we wouldn't mind having you help out around here."_

_"You gonna miss me? Don't want me to leave?" Frankie smirked._

_"You got some useful talents junior, whether you think so or not. Lord help us with that mouth of yours, but it'll get you by on the street...if it doesn't get you shot again. Your attitude, the look, all of it...you are screaming street."_

_"That's because I'm from the street, genius."_

_"Your background gives you an in. Lets you be accepted by people like that. People who might be doing bad things."_

_"Like my Aunt Vanessa." _

_"Like your Aunt Vanessa. Just like that. You have the ability to infiltrate these gangs and get us information."_

_"You want me to be a full-time nark."_

_"I want you to consider being an agent. We can always use people who can act the part, but in reality are working for us and helping to bring down these monsters."_

_"I don't know..."_

_"It's just like what you were doing. Conning...accept the good kind."_

_"There's a good kind?"_

_"Always, junior. So, what do ya say?"_

_Frankie crossed her arms as she bent her head in thought. Her sneaker scuffed at the ground, skimming over the thin carpet. Images of a beautiful girl, a warm grin on her open face as she pushed a loose lock of hair behind her ear appeared in her mind._

_"I don't know. There's...there's something I have to do."_

_"What?"_

_"I just...have to do something. I need a car, or enough money for a bus ticket."_

_"Where are you going?"_

_Seeing the look in Frankie's eyes, the man shook his head, "No. Don't even think about it. You are not going back there."_

_"Why not? You can't tell me what to do. You're not my dad."_

_"Thank god for that, you already give me enough stress as it is. Stone, you don't want to go back to Pine Valley. Why would you ever think about going back there?"_

_"I just...need to see someone."_

_"Bianca Montgomery. Am I right?"_

_Frankie shrugged, her fingers tangling in the necklace resting against her skin._

_"There's nothing left for you there. Even I know no one wanted you there, and that was before the truth about your involvement with Proteus came out."_

_"She did."_

_"Stone..."_

_"I don't care about anyone else. I never really did."_

_"She thinks you're dead, junior. It's been over a year."_

_"I have to try. I know it's stupid and crazy, but I have to try. I...I need to see her."_

_The man sighed, "What are you gonna do? Walk right up to her and say hi?"_

_Frankie looked at him, her features resolved. "I'll figure it out." _

_"Fine. I'll drive you down there." _

_The drive was long, the silence deafening in the front of the old black Buick. Luke concentrated on the road, dodging snow drifts and patches of ice. Frankie had her head against the window, her eyes blankly staring at the muted whites and grays of the outside world. Her mind raced a mile a minute, trying to come up with something to say when she finally saw Bianca. Something that wasn't stupid, or corny, or sappy. Something...something real. _

_"Ok junior, how do you want this to go?" Luke turned the car off the interstate, only a few minutes away from Pine Valley. "I don't think it's a good idea for a lot of people to see you. Especially since you're supposed to be dead and all."_

_"Might be cool. Maybe they'll think I'm a vampire."_

_"And be chasing you with wooden stakes and garlic? No way am I putting up with the smell of garlic for you."_

_Frankie couldn't muster a smirk, her mind suddenly blank as the car pulled past the turn off for the boathouse. "Stop. Turn here."_

_She ignored his curious look, feeling the car slowly turn to the right. The boathouse had always been one of Bianca's favorite places. It would be a good place to start her search. A lot better than sneaking around her mother's house, hoping the diva didn't see her and actually kill her for hurting her daughter, like she promised _

_The car slowed to a crawl, the tiny building visible off in the distance. A car was parked in front, a car that actually looked familiar._

_"Stop. Wait here. I'll be back." Frankie fumbled with the door handle, her eyes focused on the other car. _

_As the locks popped and the door swung open, she stumbled out, her feet sliding on the gravel. She straightened herself out, tugging at her jacket before shoving her hands into her pockets._

_This was it. That had to be Bianca's car. She had to be here. Frankie was going to see her. It would be the first time since the incident. Since she had gone into witness protection and traveled around in secret, testifying against Proteus's circle of cohorts._

_She couldn't do this. Her feet felt like lead, frozen to the ground and weighing a hundred pounds each. Her breathing picked up, air coming in with short pants as her heart thundered against her chest. She swallowed roughly, her mouth dry as the desert. _

_"Go on, Stone. We ain't got all day." Luke's voice sounded from the car. _

_Steeling herself, she raised her head and pulled back her shoulders, exuding an air of confidence that was completely fake. Raising one shaky foot, she took a step forward. Slowly the other foot followed and after what seemed like hours she was beside the boathouse, her side pressed against the wall as she lent forward and peered in past the balcony._

_Her eyes spotted Bianca, her heart seizing as she saw the girl who haunted her dreams at night. Frankie felt her eyebrows furrow in confusion. Bianca was squatting down, her long brown coat protecting her from the chilly air. However, there was someone else next to her, wearing a jean jacket with blonde hair that looked so familiar. _

_That's when she heard the voice. A voice she hadn't heard in so long, yet had heard just a few minutes ago._

_"I swear, I swear...I swear that, I jus' ooh"_

_"Maggie?" Frankie mouthed in shock, her twin sister a few feet away from her. They hadn't seen each other in years...since they were fifteen. How was she here?_

_"What?" Bianca asked._

_Frankie leaned in closer, confused at her sister's presence and why she was with Bianca...out in the boathouse...by themselves._

_"I've never had intense feelings like this for anyone before." Maggie dropped her hands from her face. "I really...I"_

_"Really what?" Bianca probed._

_"I honestly love you."_

_Frankie didn't register her legs giving out as she staggered backwards. She didn't feel her body hit the gravel. All of the sounds around her disappeared. All she could hear, all she could feel, was the ice cold chill. It started in her belly and slowly worked its way up until her entire body felt cold as ice. _

_The sense that people were moving, and had been talking, somehow broke through the cold and signaled her brain. Frankie scrambled to her hands and knees, crawling to her hiding spot against the wall. Maggie had moved over to the railing of the balcony, her back resting against it as Bianca faced her. _

_"You promise? Because I have a lot of questions to ask..." Maggie looked at Bianca, her arms folded._

_"Maggie, I'm not going to ditch you." Bianca locked her brown eyes on the girl across from her. Frankie couldn't help but notice how the sun landed on her face, illuminating it like a brilliant goddess sent down to live amongst the common folk._

_Her next words though, made these thoughts instantly vanish, replaced with an all consuming blankness._

"Not ever. No matter what. Because I love you too."

_Frankie didn't know what happened after that. Luke later found her curled up behind a tree a few hundred yards away, staring out into the wilderness with a blank look in her eyes. She looked up at him as he approached, darkness falling around them as the sun set. She couldn't feel the biting winter wind, the agent wrapping his heavy coat around her shivering shoulders._

Frankie shot up, her heart pounding. Panting, she looked around the small room, not knowing where she was. She was in a bed, the sheets tangled around her legs. She felt like she couldn't breathe. Her hand slammed down on the bedside table, snatching the pack of cigarettes and fishing out one. As soon as she had the stick lit and inhaled the sweet intoxicating smoke, she was able to calm down a little. She rubbed at her face as she remembered where she was. The apartment in Paris. The one they had gotten to bulk up her cover as Joan's friend Ms. Moore.

She clenched the cigarette between her teeth as she kicked at the sheets, fighting to get free. Looking at the clock on the table, she saw it was almost time to meet with Bianca for their talk. She stumbled out of the bed, muttering to herself that a nap was not the best idea she had ever had. On autopilot, she navigated her way into the small kitchen and opened a cabinet, pulling down a bottle of bourbon. Unscrewing the cap, she tilted her head back, gulping down the burning liquid.

It had been awhile since she had these dreams. Or well, memories if you wanted to be more precise. She had long ago pushed those memories so deep down into her psyche that it would be a miracle for her to even know they had happened. But all of the events that had been occurring stirred them up. Especially this talk Bianca wanted to have. This talk that the agent was in no way wanting to participate in. There was nothing to talk about. Everything Bianca needed to know had been told to her on the train ride from London to Paris. Everything Frankie needed to know was in that folder in her desk drawer, along with the folders on the rest of the Kane family.

Taking one last swig of the liquid, Frankie screwed the cap back on and set it on the counter. She ran a hand through her hair. She had to go. If she skipped out on this meeting, Bianca would be upset. And Frankie couldn't run because she had to show up tomorrow to play the nanny role. Why did life hate her so much?

With a sigh, she walked back into the bedroom. She maneuvered into her shoulder harness, throwing a sweatshirt on to cover the straps and gun. Pulling one last puff from the cigarette, she tossed it into the half full cup of cold coffee on her desk before grabbing the package and pulling another one out. She flung her coat on, stepped into her shoes, and was lighting the second stick as she stepped out of the apartment, locking the door behind her.

The walk to the metro stop was short, but Frankie decided to skip the subway and walk instead. The longer it took to get to Bianca's place the better.

Having just finished her third cigarette, Frankie dropped the still smoldering end on the ground and casually stepped on it. Moving up to the curb, she stood with the small group of people waiting for the light to change so they could cross. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a young woman waving in her direction. She had a shock of red hair, pulled back into a messy ponytail. She was dressed in a long green wool coat, a black scarf wrapped snug around her neck.

Frankie ignored her, instead staring at the still red crosswalk sign as her fingers picked at another cigarette. The woman didn't seem to take the hint though, and jogged up to her side.

"Hey! Didn't you see me wave? And what happened to your hair?" she greeted with a smile, her accent decidedly American.

"And here I thought she was Irish." Frankie thought, casting a glance at the woman. Red freckles dotted her nose, blue eyes dancing with happiness.

"Oh that was for me? I thought you were wavin' at the cathedral, since Notre Dame is Irish and all."

The woman gave her a funny look, "What?"

Frankie shrugged, "My bad. I wouldn't wave at them either, considering how they've been playing."

"I didn't go to Notre Dame. You know this."

"Lady, all I know is that you seem to think waving at strangers is a cool thing. Now how about you run along to the pub and grab a pint while the rest of us get on with our day." Frankie was not in the mood to deal with people right now.

"Why are you acting like this?" the woman frowned, her hand reaching for Frankie's.

Seeing the light change, Frankie briskly walked across the street, "Acting like what? Like a normal person? Possibly because I don't have time to deal with you."

The woman stood there, watching the agent speed away.

* * *

Frankie smashed the empty cigarette package in her hand, tossing it into the trash by the elevator as she headed towards Bianca's door. It had taken her an extra forty-five minutes and a pack of cigarettes to get there, and it wasn't nearly enough.

Finally reaching the door, Frankie glared at the wooden barrier. After a few minutes, and another unsuccessful attempt at figuring out how she could get out of this talk, she raised her hand and softly knocked on the door. She stood there, silently praying to whoever would listen that no one had heard her pathetic little knock, and she could go back to her files and cigarettes. Of course, she never had much luck.

The door opened, revealing a tired Bianca. Her hair was up in a messy bun, and she had changed into a comfortably worn pair of jeans and a tank top.

"Thought you might not show." she commented as Frankie hesitantly stepped inside.

"Where's the kids?" Frankie ignored the comment, knowing how close she was to not showing up.

"Asleep. It took forever to get Miranda to settle down once she heard you were coming."

Frankie shrugged out of her coat, handing it to Bianca who hung it in the closet, "How was the rest of the day?"

After their discussion in front of Miranda's school, Bianca had wanted to spend more time with her children. Frankie agreed to let her handle them for the day, assigning Barnes to tag along with Jones. Frankie had then went back to the apartment, glancing over a few files and making some phone calls before falling asleep.

"It was good." answered Bianca as she ushered the agent into the living room, "Gabrielle was perfect all day. Miranda was excited about some science experiment they were doing in class and talked nonstop about it. You'll probably hear all about it tomorrow."

"Yeah, probably."

Silence filled the room. Frankie walked over to the mantle, her back turned to Bianca as she rearranged the pictures.

"How was your day?" Bianca sat down on the couch, her eyes glued to the other woman's back.

"Fine. Worked."

Bianca sighed, "Frankie..."

"What Bianca?"

"Why don't you come over here? Sit down?"

"I'm fine right here, thanks."

"We need to...we need to talk."

"So talk."

Bianca sent a pleading look to Frankie's back, "Will you at least look at me?"

Frankie sighed and turned around, crossing her arms over her chest. She stared at the taller girl, her mouth tightly shut.

"Frankie, why don't you say something?"

"Like what?"

Bianca shrugged, "Like how you feel."

"I feel like I need a cigarette."

Bianca shook her head, "You already smell like an ashtray."

"I guess I've been feeling like this for a long time."

"Stop Frankie, just stop. Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?"

Bianca gestured at her, "This. Acting like a jerk. Being a brat."

"Oh, don't you know, Bianca? That's what I do. That's how I am."

"Why? Why won't you talk to me?"

"We are talking."

"You know what I mean."

"Talk about what? What is there to talk about?"

"Everything, Frankie." frustration coating her words.

"Everything? Well, I don't know everything. I didn't go to college and all."

Bianca looked away from the mocking gaze, "Talk to me about what happened in Pine Valley. What happened with you and me."

Frankie clenched her teeth, "What's there to talk about? You were there. You know what happened...what we did."

"God damn it! Stop playing these little games. For once just talk to me without the cover ups and the lies." Bianca leapt to her feet.

"I thought you liked games." Frankie forced a smirk.

In a flash, Bianca stormed up to her, hands wrapping in the material by the agent's neck. She forced the woman to look into her eyes, their faces inches apart, "Stop it. Don't do this. Don't act like this to get out of opening up to me. You're not like this."

Frankie pushed at Bianca's shoulders, trying to get some space between them, "There's nothing to open up about. Nothing to talk about. You know what happened. I told you on the train."

"You took five minutes to tell me what happened. You didn't explain. We didn't talk about it. We need to do this. I need to know what you were thinking...what you felt. You need to know what I felt."

Frankie shook her head, eyes darting anywhere but at the face so close to her own, "It doesn't matter. It happened a long time ago. It's over."

"What's over?"

"Everything. It happened, and now it's done."

"You really believe that?"

"I can't change what happened."

Bianca lowered her voice to a soothing whisper, "What happened? Franks, what happened?"

Frankie closed her eyes, her head tilting back against the mantel, "Fuck. I was...I needed money. I was on the street and needed money. I was living on this bench in the park. I used to stay under the bleachers in this school's gym, but the guy caught me and made me leave. That's where he found me."

"Who found you?"

"Brad. Some lackey for my aunt. Said she wanted to meet me. That she heard about me and wanted to help."

"So you went."

Frankie shrugged, "I didn't really care. I was willing to take anything at that point. We talked and she was insane, but she offered to give me money and pay for school."

"You didn't trust her?"

"No, but I needed it. So, I left for Pine Valley."

"Where you met me." Bianca breathed out.

"She wanted me to get close to your mom, among other things. I was a runner for awhile. I checked up on dealers and stuff, but the main thing was to go after your mom."

"Why?"

"Who knows. Vanessa was crazy. Maybe to mess with Erica. To annoy her. To find out information. She never really let me in on that part. Stupid. She let me in on everything else, the stuff that got her brought down."

"Frankie..." Bianca stopped as watery brown eyes met her own.

"Then I met you. Your mom hit me with her car, and it was like a miracle that life could be that easy. What an easy way to get in her orbit. But then you came to that hospital and,"

"And what?"

Frankie blinked, "I just...it doesn't...we met. We clicked."

"You know what I thought? When we met?"

A slight shake of the head was her answer.

"I thought you were beautiful. Bratty, annoying, and a smart-aleck , but beautiful."

"At least I had something going for me." Frankie tried to joke.

"And then you kissed me." Bianca smiled softly at her, "Ok, you kissed your fingers and brought them to my lips...but it was more than I had gotten in a long time."

Her eyes took on a slightly worried look as she continued, "Was there a reason? Did...did you see my mom and..."

"I thought you were cute." Frankie interrupted, "You were cute, and I wasn't sure I would ever see you again. I was still finding out what I was supposed to be doing there."

"How did...you know? About me?"

"Bianca, I might not be a genius, but I wasn't a complete outcast. Your face was plastered on the tabloids when you came out. Besides, the first thing people throw into the streets are those rags. You were everywhere for a time."

"And you read it?"

Frankie gave her a tiny smirk, "How could I resist a cute girl?"

Bianca looked away with a grin. Her thumb unconsciously found a small patch of skin between the agent's t-shirt and neck, and she rubbed gentle circles against the smooth surface. "You and me...it was..."

Frankie closed her eyes at the touch, "It was good...really good."

"Was it real?"

Brown eyes blinked open, "It was...and it wasn't. There were times I was working, running the con. Then there were times, you would just look at me and all I wanted to do was..."

"Was what?"

"Be with you. Be happy...with you."

Bianca swallowed hard at these words. She cupped one hand around Frankie's neck, "Vanessa?"

"Vanessa was a lunatic. Crazier than Alice in Wonderland on speed. But she could read people. She...she had an idea about what was happening."

"So you went to the police."

"I couldn't...I couldn't do that...not to you. You had been so kind to me. You gave me so much. I never wanted to hurt you. I knew that if I kept doing what I was doing, I would hurt you somehow. So, I got in touch with this cop from where I had been living before... in Philly. He patrolled my area and had told me if I needed help to call him. He was one of those nice cops. The ones who want to help but can't."

"You called him."

"He got in touch with the FBI and they set up an operation to get me into their custody."

"Was Chris involved?" Bianca asked, remembering the FBI agent who was dating her mother at the time.

"No, the bureau was uncertain of his...priorities at the time. Besides, he would be better able to act in the situation if he didn't know."

"So, they set-up your death."

Frankie shrugged, "Yeah."

Bianca took this in, processing all of the information. Finally she looked into Frankie's eyes, "Why did you sleep with JR?"

Frankie closed her eyes, "I didn't sleep with JR."

Bianca shook her head, "I saw you..."

"I needed you to stay away from me." Frankie blurted out, eyes opening, "The play against Vanessa was going to happen soon and I couldn't have you near that. But you were always with me."

Bianca scoffed and began to pull away, "Sorry that I wanted to be with my girlfriend."

Frankie grasped at her hips, stopping her, "No, I wanted you with me. I always wanted you with me. But not when I was going up against a drug lord. The only way I could think to get you away from me was to..."

"Sleep with someone else." Bianca finished for her.

"It was stupid and hurtful, but I couldn't think of any other way. I took a bunch of pills and smoked a joint before. I was pretty out of it when it happened. I couldn't imagine being sober and...anyway...I got him to go home with me and you walked in on it. I sent him away right after and called your mom. She needed to be there for you."

Bianca let out a harsh laugh, "Be there for me? I needed you to be there for me. Do you know why I came to you? Do you?"

Frankie shook her head.

"Because I just fought with my mom about you. I told her I loved you and you loved me. We loved each other and she couldn't accept me being with a girl."

"Jesus, Bianca." Frankie tugged at the other woman, but she wouldn't move.

"No, I told her how you made me feel. How I felt. How I felt about my mom and how she treated me. How she couldn't accept me for who I was, and that I couldn't let her hurt me anymore."

Frankie slid one hand up to cup Bianca's cheek, wiping at the stray tears that made their way down her pale skin.

"I left her and went to you, and you were there with him."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Frankie repeated over and over.

"Then you were gone, and I thought you were dead."

"I'm sorry. I had to. I'm so sorry."

Bianca sniffled, rubbing at her eyes as she tried to compose herself, "You made me feel loved. You made me feel good. Was it real, though? Did you really love me? Or was I just a game to you. A way to mess with Erica Kane?"

Frankie averted her eyes, "Bianca,"

"Because I loved you, Frankie. I loved you. It was real to me."

Bianca waited, holding her breath as she waited for an answer that had plagued the back of her mind for eight years. She closed her eyes, trying to calm her breathing. A soft touch against her temple forced her eyes back open, as Frankie rested her forehead against the spot.

"You were the most real thing that ever happened to me," was whispered, "the most real thing in my life. I lied to you, but never about that. Never about how I felt...for you."

"Then why didn't you come back? I needed you." Bianca turned so they were pressed together, noses touching as she closed her eyes again, basking in the feeling.

"No you didn't. You didn't need me, Bianca. I would have messed everything up." Frankie choked out in a whisper.

"What? Frankie," Bianca began, fingers tracing the back of the agent's neck.

The sound of a key in the lock for the front door echoed through the room. The two jumped apart as the door swung open, Reese strolling in with her suitcase.

"Honey, I'm home! Where are you, honey?" she called out.

Her eyes scanned the area, settling on Bianca with a smile. She dropped the bag and rushed over to her wife, wrapping her arms around the brunette and pressing her mouth against her lips.

"God, I missed you. I'm so sorry the trip ran longer than planned." Reese pulled her closer, kissing her again.

Frankie stood off to the side, turning away from the display. "I'm gonna go."

Reese broke the embrace, looking over at the agent, "Ms. Moore. Sorry, I didn't see you there. How are you?"

"Call me Frankie. When I hear Ms Moore, I feel like I should throw my hat up in the air and sing about how I'm gonna make it after all. I was just talking with your wife about schedules. We're good, though. I'll leave you two alone." she moved towards the door, slipping her coat from the closet.

"Oh. Ok. Have a good night." Reese had already turned back to her wife.

Bianca watched the agent go, unable to do anything about it. They had been talking. Why did Reese have to show up at that second?

"I'm sorry about the trip taking so long honey," Reese kissed her neck, "Why don't you let me make it up to you."

* * *

Ally sat in the kitchen, a pencil clenched in her teeth as she browsed through the book's index. She scratched at her head, her fingers catching in her bright red hair. The sound of the door opening grabbed her attention, and she looked up to see the petite figure glide in. She watched the woman unwrap her scarf and hang it up along with her coat.

"What was with you today?" she immediately asked as the woman entered the kitchen, "And what is with your hair? It's long again."

"It's been long for awhile." answered the woman with a look, "Do you think I need to get it cut?"

"No, it looks gorgeous. But... it was short."

"It's never been short. And what? No hi, how are you?" teased the woman as she walked over to Ally.

"Well, with the way you treated me today, I didn't think you wanted me to say hi." responded the redhead.

"What are you talking about?" the woman cupped her face, bringing their lips together in a sweet kiss.

"Today, on the street." Ally pulled her girlfriend into her lap.

"Ally, I didn't see you on the street. I was at the hospital all day." she wrapped her arms around the girl's neck.

"But I saw you..."

"Sweetie, I was at the hospital all day telling parents their kids had a cold, not cancer. Just ask Jac." she brought candy flavored lips to her own.

"But she looked and sounded exactly like you. You don't have an evil twin running around, do you?" Ally smiled into the kiss.

Her girlfriend broke the kiss, a slight frown on her face, "No, no twin running around. Evil or otherwise."

"Good. I don't know if I could handle two Maggie Stones."


	18. Chapter 17

She didn't know if it was the pounding in her head or the painful light shining through her eyelids that woke her up, but all Frankie could do was groan at the pain. She rolled onto her side, trying to get away from the torturous beam of sun. Her eyelids felt like they weighed a hundred pounds as she tried to force them open, finally succeeding with a dismal squint. Her brown orbs adjusted to the seemingly bright light, and she glanced over at the bedside table. Two empty cigarette packages, an empty bottle of bourbon, and a half-full bottle of vodka stared back at her.

Her eyes slid past the reminders of last night's activities and landed on the digital alarm clock. Frankie blinked slowly, the numbers blurry and indecipherable to her alcohol infused brain. The red numbers flashed at her – 8:30am. With another groan, a hand flew up, smacking her face and trying to wipe away the headache. She needed to get up and go over to pick up the kids. Thank god they didn't have school today.

As she attempted to get up, the agent discovered that any control she might have over her body had miraculously disappeared. She couldn't get her legs to respond. She couldn't begin to think about why that could be, because any stray thought caused the hammer in her head to start banging against her skull.

Flailing an arm, her upper body spun to the side. However, Frankie didn't notice how close she was to the edge of the bed. She went crashing head first onto the floor, the rest of her body following into the human heap. Gritting her teeth, she rolled against the wall and pushed back, wobbly legs stretching out to support her weight. Finally standing, she blindly staggered towards the bathroom, her shoulder and hands smacking against the wall on the way.

Reaching the small room, her feet hit cold linoleum, surprising the agent and causing her to ram into the door frame. Ignoring the stinging, she tumbled forward, hands smacking at the shower knobs. The sound of running water only intensified the noise in her head, but somehow she knew it would help. About to step in, she caught the flash of gray out of the corner of her mind. Pulling back, Frankie grabbed at the clothes covering her body, the same ones she had worn yesterday, and threw them to the ground. Clad only in her necklace, she kicked at the jeans by her feet and tripped into the shower, the hot water scalding her skin.

Feeling the heating affects of the water rolling down her body, she stood underneath the spray. Her arms shakily gripped the sides of the stall, holding her steady. The cleansing droplets washed away the previous night's actions, coaxing out the memories from her still hurting head.

After leaving Bianca with Reese, the agent had quickly made her way to the nearest open shop. A few minutes later she was armed with the remedy to any emotional confession that ended with the girl going off with someone else...cigarettes and liquor. Maybe not the best solution, but it worked before.

As the dirt and grime was swept from her being, Frankie began to feel a little more human. Her head was killing her and she felt horrible, but at least she could think. Swatting the knobs, the water turned off, and she stepped out of the stall, her hands sliding along the wall in support. Grabbing a towel, she roughly dried her skin and hair. A quick flick of the hairbrush and a few swipes with the toothbrush and she was walking to the closet. She pulled out a soft worn long-sleeve t-shirt and jeans. Slipping them on along with some underwear, the agent tossed on her shoulder harness, gun, and shoes. She was pushing an arm through her coat sleeve when her eyes fully caught the remnants of last night. The bottles of liquor and empty packages covered the bedside table. Cigarette butts littered the floor. Frankie was surprised she hadn't stepped on one. Ashes dusted the sheets. Scratching at her head, she didn't want to know what the rest of the apartment looked like. She sent up a silent prayer thanking whoever that she hadn't gotten so smashed that she had brought someone back with her. She might not be too good at handling personal things, but that is something she would have not been able to forgive herself for, no matter how single she may be at this point in time.

Her brown eyes scanned the room, wondering where her sunglasses were. There was no way she could go outside, where the sun is, and deal with this big of a hangover. Spotting the small metal glasses haphazardly hanging off the desk, Frankie used them to cover her eyes and slowly moved towards the door. Taking a deep breath, she stepped out into the world.

Ducking her eyes away from the bright sunlight, Frankie forced her legs to move forward. Feeling a buzz in her coat pocket, her hands fumbled around until she pulled out her cellphone. Flipping it open, she pressed the answer button.

"Yeah." she choked out, voice rough.

"Stone? Is that you?" Campolini's voice asked.

"Yeah. What's up?" Frankie rubbed at her head, the pain making it difficult to concentrate.

"Are you ok? You sound terrible."

"I'm fine. What's going on?" the short woman ground out.

"It's over, Stone. It's all over." Campolini's voice took on a gleeful quality.

"What's over?"

"The investigation! It's done."

"What are you talking about?" Frankie did not have the patience for this right now.

"We did it. We got him!"

"Got who? Mark, what are you talking about?"

"Come on Stone, it isn't that early there. We caught the bastard. The stalker, we got him."

Frankie stopped in her tracks, "You got him?"

"Yeah. It's over. You can all come back to the States now." reverberated down the line.

Frankie blinked, her mouth opening but no sound coming out.

"Damn it. Stone, I gotta go. I'll talk to you later. Go out and have a drink on me!" Campolini shouted before hanging up.

Frankie just stood there, right in front of the metro entrance, phone still held to her ear. It was over. They had caught the guy. She would be going home.

Not wanting to think about what that would mean, she flipped the phone closed and shoved it into her pocket. She jogged down the stairs to the station and pulled out her ticket, passing through the gates and to the train. The ride seemed to take longer than ever, each stop causing Frankie to grimace in annoyance as she silently demanded the train to keep moving.

Reaching her stop at last, the agent tore out of the train and up the steps, bursting down the street and to the apartment building. The elevator ride made her wish she had taken the stairs, but finally Frankie was at Bianca's door. Loudly rapping her knuckles against the wood, she waited for the door to open. Hearing the click of the lock and the turning of the knob, Frankie put on a smile for Miranda, not wanting the little girl to know she was a) hungover and b) possibly leaving. But it wasn't the charming cherub who opened the door.

Reese greeted Frankie with a tired smile. "Hello."

Frankie schooled her expression, not wanting to show how shocked and disappointed she was to see Bianca's wife, "Good morning, Mrs. Williams. I'm just here to pick up Miranda and Gabrielle for the day."

Reese raised her hand, hiding a little yawn, "That's ok, Frankie. You don't have to do that."

"What?"

"I'm sorry we didn't tell you, but we'll both being staying home today. I haven't seen my children in awhile, and I want to spend some time with them."

"Oh...that's good. But...uh...Bian...Mrs. Williams didn't tell me that. She said she wanted me to take the kids today."

"I know. I'm sorry for the miscommunication. We just decided to stay home today...have a family day." Reese yawned again, "Sorry about that. I'm still a little tired. We had a late night last night."

Frankie grit her teeth, holding back a comment, "Is your wife around? There was something I needed to ask her about that I didn't get to last night."

Reese shook her head, "She's still sleeping, actually. She seemed pretty worn out. Is there something I can help you with?"

Frankie shook her head, biting at her lip, "No, Mrs. Williams. It's not a big deal. Have a good day."

* * *

Slamming into the room, Frankie watched as Johnson jumped in his seat, knocking into Stuart who was standing next to him.

"Get Campolini and Director Michaels on the phone, now!" she ordered, marching over to her office, "And get me a coffee!"

Storming into her office, she flung off her coat, the leather jacket landing in a pile on the floor. She tugged off her shoulder harness and threw it into a chair. She sat down in her chair, pulling up to the desk and opening drawers. One by one the folders landed on her desk. Erica Kane. Kendall Hart-Slater. Reese Williams, Bianca Montgomery.

Johnson carefully stuck his head in the room, "Campolini is on line one, Agent Stone."

"I need Michaels, and where is that damn coffee!" she snagged the phone, bringing it up to her ear, "Campolini, tell me everything."

"Stone, it's just like I told you. We caught the guy writing the letters."

"Who did you catch and how did you catch him?"

"His name is Peter Hudson. We got an anonymous tip that led us to his hideout. He was living in this apartment in Pittsburgh. When we got there, the whole place was filled with newspaper clippings and photographs of Kane. It was insane."

"You don't know who sent the tip in?" Frankie scratched at her head, fingers spreading out the folders on her desk.

"No, Stone. Why? We got the guy. He was living in this place like it was right out of a una-bomber movie or something. He was in the process of writing another letter. The evidence is overwhelming."

Stuart crept in, placing a mug of coffee in front of his boss. Turning the phone away from her mouth, Frankie ordered, "Get me everything on Peter Hudson. Date of birth, mother's maiden name, how he likes his eggs, everything."

Stuart nodded as he left.

"What's his motive?" Frankie turned back to the phone.

"Motive? I just caught a guy red-handed and you are asking me about motive? What, are you an attorney?"

"Are you telling me you caught a guy who has no motive for this crime?"

"Stone, he had pictures all over his wall! What, is this because you didn't catch him? You need a little career help?"

"I'm asking a simple question, Campolini. Why did he do it?" Frankie looked up to see Johnson signaling line number two, "Hold on...I've got someone getting patched through."

"Stone?" a gruff voice joined in.

"Director Michaels, how are you sir?"

"Cut the crap, Stone. What's going on?"

"It seems Campolini here solved the case."

"Yes sir, Director Michaels." added Mark proudly.

"So what?" Michaels bit out.

"Sir," Frankie sipped at her steaming hot coffee, "I don't think they caught the right guy."

"What!" yelled Campolini, "We caught him! It's the guy! All of the evidence is there!"

"What is this about, Stone?" broke in Michaels.

"It's too easy. We get an anonymous tip that leads us to this perfect textbook apartment..."

"It wasn't too easy! We have been working our asses off!" interrupted Campolini.

"What about the eye?" shot back Frankie, "How did some guy a few hours away get an eye from France!"

"What? You're just jealous you didn't catch him! That this wasn't in your backyard." Campolini accused.

"That's enough!" Michaels halted any further discussion, "Agent Campolini, good job. Your unit did fine work. I will speak with you later. Please get back to your agents and wrap this up."

"Thank you, sir. I will." Mark smugly answered.

Waiting for him to hang up, Michaels spoke as soon as he heard the click, "What are you doing, Stone?"

"My job. This is too easy, and you know it."

"Your job?" his voice took on an incredulous tone, "Your job was to stay in the background, work behind the scenes. No one was supposed to know you were there. This was an easy in and out operation. We both knew nothing was going to happen in France. Jesus, that's why you have the academy rejects with you."

"Sir, things have changed. The eyeball was a direct link to France."

"Things changed all right. You messed up."

"Sir..."

"How long did it take before you went after her? Hmm? A day? Three?"

"I did not go after her, sir."

"The hell you didn't!" he shouted, "You walked right back into her life without a second thought."

"I had to! No one else was available to get on that train." Frankie defended.

"Not one agent was available? Not one? Bullshit!"

"It happened. There was nothing I could do about it."

"Yes, I'm sure _it_ happened. Was it worth it, Stone? I put my neck out for you, and you just go tossing your entire career out the window for a piece of ass?"

"Shut up! Don't you ever talk about her that way again, Luke." seethed Frankie, her eyes blazing, "I know how to do my job."

"Your job was to stay back and cool down."

"My job was to investigate and protect. There is a link between the letters and France. Why would there be a missing person in Lyon whose eyeball got sent from a guy in Pittsburgh? Who sent it to just outside of Philly? Why would this guy be getting away with it for months and suddenly we get a tip and it's all done? It doesn't make sense!"

Director Luke Michaels sighed heavily, "That's the way it goes, sometimes. Everything isn't some big undercover netted conspiracy. That's why I pulled you out and put you here. You need to get your head together."

"It is together. Think about it. There is a link we cannot ignore."

"Is this because of the girl?"

"W-What?" Frankie stuttered.

"Junior, are you doing this because you don't want to leave? We both know the end of this case means you go back to Washington. Are you trying to extend the investigation so you can be with her?"

"I-I'm not...it's not...I wouldn't..."

"She's married. She moved on." his tone softened.

"It has nothing to do with her. There is something going on here. I know it. I can feel it."

"Do you have any proof?"

His words were met with silence.

"Junior, do you have any proof?"

"No," Frankie finally got out.

Luke took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "You know what to do."

Frankie bit her lip and nodded, "Ok."

As she went to hang-up the phone, his voice stopped her, "Stone."

"Yeah?" she breathed out, a sense of hopelessness sinking in.

"I'm sorry."

She placed the phone back on it's base. Blinking, her hands came up to rubbed at her face. Her headache was gone, replaced with a growing feeling of emptiness.

Taking her time, she got to her feet, dragging her exhausted body out to the main office. Johnson and Stuart stared at her, waiting for orders.

Taking off her sunglasses, she folded them and hung them from her shirt. Swallowing hard, she blinked over at the two agents, "Call around. Tell everyone to finish their rotations this evening and then go home. Start packing up, it's over."

* * *

Stepping out into the cool nighttime air, Maggie pulled her coat a little tighter around her lithe body. It had been another long day in the ER. So many parents were bringing their children in, afraid they had caught some incurable disease while at school. 99% of the time it was the common cold, though. While it backed up the system, Maggie didn't mind seeing the children. She loved kids.

She sighed as she stepped away from the hospital, casually walking down the sidewalk. It had been a long time since she had seen the little girl she had thought of as her own. Three years since her last time with Miranda. The doctor smiled gently, the munchkin must be getting so big now. She wondered if the girl was enjoying school. When Maggie was living with them and still in school, the small child would always have fun studying with the student. Or well...messing up the papers and drawing in the textbook margins. She was a little scamp at times. Gosh, did Maggie miss her.

As she stepped off the sidewalk and crossed the street, her thoughts turned from the little girl to someone else. Another kid who always loved to write in the margins of books and drive the other Stone crazy.

Her twin sister Frankie was always a handful when they were kids. She got in trouble left and right. Skipping school, stealing cds, staying out and partying all night. But she always loved words. Anytime Maggie opened a book, there would be notes in the margins. Only one person had that distinctively bad handwriting, Frankie. Soon enough, the older twin couldn't even open a book that her sister had touched, the copious amounts of notes so annoying.

Maggie chuckled. Who knew the always in trouble Stone could have gotten her hands on so many books? Spotting a park, she strolled over, plopping down on a cold bench. She briefly wondered if her sister had ever slept on one like this. After the girl ran away, Maggie never saw her again. She knew from talking with Bianca that her sister used to sleep outside on park benches. A shiver ran through her at the thought. If only they had talked more...hadn't grown so far apart. Maybe...

Maggie shook her head, getting rid of those thoughts. She had played the what-if game for so long, she knew nothing good could come from it. Her sister was gone. Forever.

Sniffling, she wrapped her arms around herself, tucking her hands into her sides. Looking up into the night sky, she found a small twinkling star off in the distance.

"Hey, Frankie. It's been awhile. I'm sorry I haven't talked to you. It's just lately things have been really busy. I'm working at that hospital I told you about last time. I'm rotating in the ER. There's a lot of weird cases that come up. There was this one kid who shoved a worm up his nose. It was kinda gross...you would have loved it."

She rubbed her hands against her side, trying to warm up. She glanced down before continuing, "I haven't visited you in a long time. I haven't gone back to Pine Valley in years. I know I said I'd visit, but it's been hard. With what happened with Bianca and everything. That's her home. Her family. Not to mention I think Erica would go all diva on me again, and I really don't want to go through that more than once every five years."  
A smile broke through, "But...it's ok. You don't have to worry about me. I know...I was messed up for a few months after the break-up. But I met this girl, Ally. She's a grad student at the university I went to. She's studying art, and she's so great. I...really like her, Frankie. She makes me happy. I think you would like her."

Maggie took a deep breath, "I'm sorry I haven't told her about you, yet. It's just...I've been trying to move on from all things Pine Valley. Start fresh without all those reminders. Unfortunately, you became a part of that. My biggest connection to you was through Bianca. But, I'm going to tell her soon. She deserves to know, and...I want to tell her. I want to be able to talk to someone about you. About how much I still miss you, even though its been years. I think I'll always miss you."

Standing up, Maggie dusted off her scrub pants before turning to leave. After a few steps, she stopped and spun back around, finding the star.

"I love you, Franks. Good night."


	19. Chapter 18

How is everyone doing? Are you still enjoying the story? (Hint: A less than subtle nudge for feedback good or bad.)

* * *

Standing in front of the door, Frankie took in a deep breath, staring at the wooden barrier. This was it. Johnson and Stuart were currently finishing the dismantling of their small control room. The rest of the agents were finalizing their plans for returning home. All that was left, was ending the Ms. Moore story. Which meant telling Bianca and the kids she wasn't coming back.

Taking one final breath, she raised her hand, soundly knocking a quick repetition before dropping the appendage listlessly to her side. Head bowed, she listened carefully for any sign as to who might answer. Another Reese surprise was not hoped for. After a few seconds the pitter-patter of tiny feet seeped through the door, hushed whispers and a giggle meeting her ears. Frankie watched as the door knob turned and the door was flung open, a gleefully smiling Miranda standing in front of her.

"Frankie!" she yelped, rushing forward and throwing her arms around the agent.

The woman took half a step back, the little ball of energy almost knocking her to the ground, "Hey kid, how's it going?"

"Good." she pulled back and placed her hands on her hips, "Where were you yesterday?"

"At my place. You were spending time with your family yesterday, so I hung out there."

Miranda took this in, nodding before wrapping her arms back around the agent, "I missed you. I hafta tell you about school. We made a volcano! It was so cool. Do you think I can go to your place? What's it like?"

Frankie tried to keep up as the little girl rambled on, swallowing hard at her words and the thought that this was all going to be ending soon. "A volcano? That's really great, kid. And I don't think you should go over to my place...it's kind of a mess. How about the park, instead?"

"How about you let Frankie come in, Mimo?"

Frankie looked up to see Bianca standing on the other side of the threshold, her arms loosely crossed as she grinned at the pair. The child unwrapped her arms, a hand reaching up and tugging at the agent's, pulling her into the apartment.

"Mommy? Can Frankie and I go to the park?" Miranda looked up at her mother, hand still firmly holding the other woman's.

"Why don't we have breakfast first, then we can think about what trouble you two can get into for the day."

"We don't get into trouble. We're good." Miranda rolled her eyes. She started towards the kitchen, dragging Frankie behind her.

Glancing at Bianca, Frankie pulled back, "Hey, why don't you go in and get my seat. I'll be there in a second."

Miranda looked at her, clearly wanting her to following.

"It's ok, Miranda. Go on in. We'll be there soon. I just want to say hi to Frankie." Bianca added, coaxing her daughter.

Miranda looked back and forth between the two before turning around, "Fine. But don't take too long!"

As soon as the girl was in the other room, Bianca slid next to Frankie, who was still facing the kitchen, "Hey there."

"Hey."

"She missed you like crazy yesterday...we both did."

"Bianca," Frankie slowly moved her eyes towards the mother.

Seeing the sad look in those brown orbs, a worried expression appeared, "What's wrong?"

Gently shaking her head, Frankie raised a hand, unconsciously moving a stray lock of hair back behind Bianca's ear, "Nothing. Everything's...as it should be."

Bianca lifted her hand, catching the smaller one and pressing it softly against her cheek, "The other day, when we talked..."

"Bianca don't." Frankie cut in, unable to stop her hand from cupping the smooth pale cheek.

"I can't stop thinking about it. What we said...about what happened...how we felt," she continued on, tilting her head into the touch.

"Bianca, please." Frankie pleaded.

"Mommy! Frankie! Come on!" Miranda's impatient voice shouted from the kitchen.

Quickly pulling her hand away, Frankie shoved it into her pocket. She moved back, putting space between the two of them.

Bianca watched her pull away, recognizing the invisible barriers the agent was putting back into place. With an inaudible sigh, she called back, "We're coming, Miranda."

Frankie spun and briskly walked into the kitchen, Bianca a few steps behind. As she entered the room, the short brunette noticed Miranda sitting at the table, Gabrielle in her high chair next to her. Three plates of scrambled eggs scattered the table, one in front of Miranda and the other two before the remaining two chairs.

"Sit next to me." Miranda waved and pointed at the vacant chair next to her.

"No Reese?" Frankie ambled over, lowering herself into the seat.

"She's at work already. Her trip started a new phase in the project, so she's up to her ears in work again." Bianca responded as she took the other seat.

Frankie just nodded her head. She picked up a fork and batted at the now cold food, pushing the yellow fluffs around her plate.

"Miranda, didn't you have something to ask Frankie?" Bianca's words caused the little girl to start bouncing in her seat.

"Yeah!" wide bright eyes focused on the woman, "Would you like to come to the party?"

"Party?" Frankie shot the girl a confused look.

"Yep. Mommy's party. I'm gonna be a fairy!"

Frankie blinked, wondering why the child would be dressed as a fairy...a pink one more than likely.

"It's the Cambias Halloween party." Bianca explained, seeing the confusion, "It's a costume party we have every year for the company."

"Yeah...so will you come?" Miranda's hopeful look caused Frankie to bite the inside of her cheek.

"Well, I don't know. I don't have a costume." the agent tried to come up with a good excuse.

"That's ok. We'll get you one. Right Mommy?"

"Of course." Bianca answered, her mind flashing back to a similar conversation.

"_Hey...are you like down for a costume party?" Bianca asked._

"_Where'd that come from?" _

"_Your Cousin Leo is having a big bash to celebrate his...impending marriage." Bianca answered, rolling her eyes at the last two words._

"_Oh...to that Laura chick right?" a look crossed Frankie's face, "Didn't she want you to be her maid of honor or something? Isn't that gonna be a sticky situation 'cause..."_

"_Well I'm not behind the marriage, but I love Leo and I want to support him."_

"_I don't have a costume."_

"_That's ok, neither do I. We'll improvise." Bianca glanced away in thought before smiling at the other girl, "Freaks and Geeks. You be the geek. I'll be the freak."_

"_Oh yay." sarcasm dripped from the words._

"_Ok, Frankie, ok" Bianca playfully chuckled with a huge smile, "You can be the freak."_

Bianca was brought out of her musings at the sound of Frankie's voice, "Hey kid, why don't you go get your stuff ready for the park?"

The little girl hopped down from her chair, taking her plate over to the sink before running off to her bedroom.

"She'd really like it if you showed up. It's a big thing we have every year. A lot of the Paris division shows up wearing costumes, and it's this big masquerade ball. We have it outside of the city at this chateau. Miranda will only be there for an hour or so, but after you'll be free to...mingle and have fun."

"Inviting the help, huh? Isn't that generous of you." Frankie stared down at her plate.

"No, we're inviting our friend." Bianca shot her a look, "I think you'll like it."

"How does Reese feel about this?"

"She's fine with it."

Frankie snorted as she leaned back, "It doesn't matter. I can't."

"What?"

"I cannot go." Frankie enunciated each letter.

"Why not?" Bianca sighed busying herself with clearing the dishes, "Do you think by not going you're shutting yourself off?"

"I'm not shutting myself off."

"Yes, you are."

"No I'm not."

"Then, why won't you go?" Bianca's voice was progressively getting louder as her emotions took over.

"I just can't."

"Because you're closing yourself off."

"Because I won't be here!" Frankie let out, immediately clenching her jaw closed in frustration.

"Where will you be?" Bianca was at the sink, her back turned to the agent.

Frankie ran a hand through her hair, scratching at her scalp, "It's over, Bianca."

"What's over?" fear tinged the words.

Frankie took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, "They caught him. The stalker. I'm going back."

Silence

Frankie didn't dare look over at Bianca, scared at what she might see. If she did, she would have seen a body so tense it might break. Hands griped the edge of the sink so tight the knuckles turned whiter than snow.

"This isn't funny, Frankie." Bianca finally got out.

"I'm not laughing."

"If you don't want to go, just say so. You don't have to make up some story."

"I'm not making this up. Bianca, we talked about this. You knew I would have to leave sometime."

A hand slammed down on the counter, rattling the few dishes resting there, "No! You're not leaving. It's not true."

Frankie closed her eyes at the noise, rubbing a hand across them furiously, "They arrested a man in Pittsburgh. He has overwhelming evidence against him. It's open and shut."

A bitter chuckle met her words, "Perfect timing, isn't it. You finally open up to me. We start getting somewhere, and then you leave. Case solved."

"It's not like that."

"It's exactly like that!" Bianca whirled around.

"You think this is easy?"

"Isn't it? When the going gets tough, the Stones get going. Right?"

"I don't have a choice, Bianca! My job here is done."

"We're not done!"

"Yes we are!" Frankie pushed out of her seat, "We have been for a long time! We were just kids, Bianca. Just fucking kids. We're not a part of each other's lives anymore."

"Because of you! Because you left, just like you're doing now!"

"I have to! Just like I did back then."

"No you didn't. You didn't have to back then, and you don't have to now.

"Oh, that's right." Frankie sneered, "We don't have to do anything. I didn't have to almost be killed by my aunt's hitman. I didn't have to feel things for you. I didn't have to turn my life upside down. Just like you didn't have to fall in love with my sister. You didn't have to get married!"

"That's not what happened." Bianca shook her head, tears glistening in her eyes.

"You're married, Bianca. You have a family. Sorry if I don't feel a whole lot of pity for you right now. Maybe your wife can have another family day with you after fucking you all night."

"Fuck you, Frankie! You left me." Bianca pointed a finger at the agent.

"I came back!"

"No, you didn't."

"Mommy! Frankie!"

The two adults froze, eyes spotting Miranda. She was standing in the doorway, scared eyes taking in the scene as she clutched her backpack to her chest. Her little sister was still in her high chair, crying.

Frankie turned away from the children, unable to handle the fearful gazes.

"It's ok, honey. Frankie and I are just talking. Take your sister and go back to your room." Bianca spoke in a soothing tone, trying to hide the tears in her eyes.

"You're fighting." Miranda looked back and forth between the two, a slight tremble in her voice.

"No, we're not." Bianca took a step towards her.

"Yes, you are. I heard you." Miranda accused.

"It's cool, kiddo." Frankie joined in, "Take your sister back to your room. It's fine, I promise."

Studying the two adults, Miranda finally complied. Her mother helped her get Gabrielle out of the chair and quieted down. Then, she slung her backpack over her shoulders and held the infant, hesitantly leaving the two women.

Bianca turned back to Frankie, sad eyes seeing the agent's back. She slowly walked over to her, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. She gave a squeeze and rested her head on the back of Frankie's, breathing in the intoxicating scent of amber, now mixed with tobacco and smoke.

"I'm sorry." she whispered, voice hitching, "I don't want to lose you, again. I just got you back."

It was quiet for a few moments before Frankie answered, "You'll be fine. You've done great for yourself."

"Frankie,"

"You've got an amazing family. A great job. Your...wife loves you. What did you have when I was there? Fighting with your mom? I made your life so hard."

"Don't say that."

"All I did was mess things up. Like now, all we do is fight."

"Stop it."

"When we were...together...we were young. Teenagers having a...a fling. You've moved on, and I'm happy for you. I'm leaving, and you'll forget about me."

"I never forgot about you." Bianca vehemently replied, tightening her grip on Frankie's shoulder. Her other hand cupped the agent's hip, holding her. She blinked, her eyes staring down at the skin of Frankie's neck. All she wanted to do was press her lips to the tanned surface, a need to reassure the other woman coursing through her being.

Frankie shrugged, "It doesn't matter."

Needing to look into those brown eyes, Bianca carefully spun the agent around. Now face to face, she desperately searched the browns before her. As Frankie tried to look away, Bianca brought a hand to her cheek, guiding her face back.

"It matters, Frankie." Bianca intoned, locking eyes with the agent. Frankie's breaths began to pick up speed, the intensity in the stare overpowering. Bianca pulled her closer, their bodies only inches apart. "Tell me you don't feel it. That you don't still feel it."

"Bianca." Frankie gulped, unable to break the gaze.

"Tell me."

Closing her eyes, Frankie leaned up. She heard Bianca gasp as their noses brushed, the agent's lips stopping a few centimeters from the full ones begging for her touch, her kiss. She stayed there, eyes clenched shut as she felt the puffs of air escaping the mouth so close to her own. Time stood still, all she knew, all she could feel was the other woman, the girl who stole her soul the minute they met.

This couldn't happen. She couldn't do this. Couldn't hurt her this way. They weren't meant to be. They never were. Gathering what little strength she had left, Frankie pushed up, tearing her lips away from temptation and touching her forehead to Bianca's.

Bianca gulped in air, her hold so tight on the agent her fingers surely were leaving marks. She choked back a sob, tears rolling down her face. She tugged, arms embracing Frankie as her head slipped into the crook of a neck. "Please. God Frankie, please. Just give me this. Give us this."

"I'll go." was whispered in her ear, "I'll go to the party."

All Bianca could do was cry, wrapped in the arms of the person life kept tearing away from her.


	20. Chapter 19

Thanks Dani. Glad you are liking the story so far…even if there was only an almost kiss.

* * *

"I can't wait to get back to DC. The first thing I'm doing is going to a Redskins' game." Stuart spoke, leaning back in his chair.

All of the agents were gathered in the office, their superior the only one missing. Excitement ran through them after hearing about the end of the case. Soon, they would be able to go home.

"Why would you go to a Redskins' game? They suck." Barnes raised the mug of coffee to his lips, taking a gulp.

Stuart rolled his eyes, "It's football, boy. Not to mention I'll be so drunk by the time the game starts, it won't matter who's playing. My brother's a tailgating fanatic. I have a guaranteed spot at his truck with a keg of beer sporting my name."

Taylor snorted, earning a cold look. "What are you going to do hotshot?" Stuart glared.

"What any other man would do...go to Hooters for some wings and then to my favorite strip club. I haven't seen my girls in a while."

"'Cause there aren't any strippers here." sarcastically said Stuart.

"Not the ones who know how I like it. Besides, I like to help the good ol' American college student. Just call me a good samaritan."

Jones shook his head while the others laughed, unimpressed with their plans.

Seeing the almost disappointed look on the other man's face, Taylor called out, "Hey Jones! What are you gonna do? Do you got some hot chick stashed away waiting on ya?"

The others snickered at his words. Jones scratched at his arm, startled at being called out. "No. No...I'm going to go visit my family. My brother and sister will be on leave from the army, and my mom wants us all over for dinner."

"Aww...isn't that cute. A little family get together. I bet it makes momma proud." mocked Taylor.

Their conversation was cut short as the door to the office burst open, Frankie Stone rushing in. They all sat up straighter, wondering what was going on.

Looking at her agents, Frankie ordered, "Set everything back up. Unpack those boxes. I want this place running in ten minutes."

The others gaped at her, confused. "What do ya mean?" Taylor got out.

"Washington called. They're not wanting to take any chances on this. We are to stay here and resume our regular duties for the next three weeks while they tie up all loose ends." She looked over at Johnson, "Get the computers set up. I want everyone back on their normal rotations. And get me Washington on the phone."

With that she walked over to her office, throwing the door closed behind her.

"What the hell was that?" Taylor asked.

Jones shrugged, "I don't know, but it looks like you won't be going to Hooters anytime soon."

Frankie wrestled out of her jacket, tossing it onto a chair as she sank into the one behind her desk. Her feet propped up on the desk, and she closed her eyes. Her fingers uselessly tried to rub away the tension. She could feel a massive headache coming on. After calming down, she had left Bianca, going straight to FBI headquarters. She hoped Miranda wasn't too upset at her canceling their plans, but this had to be done.

The phone rang, "Agent Stone."

"Agent Stone, this is Janice Kellerman. I am a part of the Washington bureau. You wanted to speak with us?"

Frankie let out a sigh of relief, glad she got the secretary and didn't have to speak with Luke, "Yes, Ms. Kellerman. I am the Agent in Charge of the Paris section of the Erica Kane case. We were meant to be going back to Washington, but the bureau here has requested our help concerning a case. We will be here an extra three weeks."

"Ok, Agent Stone. Thank you for informing us. Have a good day."

Frankie hung up the phone and took a deep breath, her fingers itching for a cigarette. She had three weeks. Three weeks until Halloween. Three weeks to find something that could make her stay here, something that would prove her suspicions correct.

Bianca's face flashed in her mind. Sad brown eyes peering at her from behind dark chestnut hair. An adorable little smile shaping the lush red lips.

Frankie sank further in her seat. She had just lied to both Washington and her agents. Her career was now on the line, if not already finished. And all she could think of was that beautiful face smiling back at her, filling her with a sense of hope and happiness she hadn't experienced in a longtime.

* * *

Sunlight streaked in through the window, bathing the room in bright rays of gold. The room was lovingly lived in. There was a hamper in the corner, overflowing with dirty clothes. A pair of silver heels lay scattered by one of the walls, where the wearer had slipped them off. The bedside table had an antique lamp the owners found in a small little shop a few months ago. Next to it sat a cellphone and gold watch.

The bed was rumpled, sheets and blankets thrown about. On the left side was a lump, the sheet tucked in around it. A foot was visible, twitching every few minutes. A light snoring could be heard, moving the lump gently up and down. As the light penetrated the sleepy darkness, the lump moved, a groan coming out as a hand shot out to pull the sheet ever higher up. As the hand came down to hit the fluffy mattress, it felt nothing but the coolness of the sheet. The lump slowly turned over, long brown hair revealed as groggy brown eyes squinted into the light.

"Ally?" Maggie mumbled still not fully awake. Seeing that her girlfriend had disappeared, she brought her hands up to her eyes, rubbing away the sleep. With a small groan, she rolled out of her warm cocoon, her small feet automatically slipping into the cozy green slippers. She grabbed her orange robe and put it on while stumbling out of the room, her mind still a little hazy.

As her covered feet hit the hardwood of the hallway, she heard a light humming that could only be coming from one place. The doctor puttered down the hall, slipping into the room at the end. Her eyes were met with a sight she knew she would never tire of. The room was glowing with sunlight, the window wide open and letting the cool afternoon air breeze in. Ally was perched on her old wooden stool, the furniture chipped and paint covered. The canvas before her was half finished, blobs of reds, golds, and greens turning into a soon to be masterpiece.

Maggie snuck up behind the redhead, wrapping her arms around the paint splattered girl.

"Morning." Ally greeted, raising her brush to fill in a section of her painting.

"Mmm, morning." replied Maggie, placing a lazy kiss on her neck, "What are you doing up?"

"I woke up and had an urge to get this done. You looked so peaceful sleeping, I didn't want to wake you."

"You couldn't have had other urges? Ones that would make you wake me up in the best way possible?" Maggie began to lightly suck on her pulse point.

"Why Doctor Stone, what are you insinuating?" Ally giggled as she set her brush down, a hand coming up to hold the back of Maggie's head.

"That I finally get a day off, and my girlfriend is out here painting, while a perfectly good bed is going to waste."

Ally moaned as a tongue darted out, soothing bruised flesh, "You knew what you were getting into being with an artist. I get inspiration at all hours of the day."

"I'll give you inspiration." Maggie nipped before bringing her lips to the other woman's.

As they pulled back, wide smiles covered both their faces. They both leaned back in, lips pressing together as their tongues met in a familiar duel. Maggie brought her arms up, wrapping them around Ally's neck while the redhead cupped her palms around flushed cheeks. Opening her mouth wider, Maggie brought her knees up, straddling the artist as she sucked a slippery tongue deeper into her own mouth.

As they finally broke away, panting for breath, Ally groaned, "God, baby. You feel so good." She wrapped her arms around the petite woman, holding her in place.

"How's that for inspiration?" Maggie playfully bit at her bottom lip.

"Perfect...until I saw this." Ally bunched the orange robe in her hands, "Where did you get this?"

"What?" Maggie looked down at her clothing, "I've had this forever. Besides, I like orange."

"And orange likes you, baby. Just not when you're covered in it." Ally pushed at the offending material until it slid off Maggie's shoulders and pooled on the floor. "Much better."

"You know what would be much much better?" Maggie asked.

"What?" a lazy grin met her gleeful eyes.

"This!"

Ally gasped as cold wet paint streaked across her cheek, leaving a trail of green in its wake.

Maggie giggled at the sight. She quickly hopped off her girlfriend, running for the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" called out Ally as she picked up her paint brush, filling the tip with red before chasing after her lover.

"You said you wanted to paint. I was helping you!" shouted Maggie as she bolted out the door, Ally right on her heels.

"I'll paint, alright. All over your pretty face!" Ally chased her down the hall, feet skidding on the cold hardwood.

Without thinking, Maggie spun into their bedroom, stopping in her tracks when she noticed it was a dead end. Looking around for a hiding spot, her search was cut short when Ally busted in behind her. With a shriek, Maggie ran away, but within a minute the taller woman had her trapped in a corner...literally.

"Not so funny now, is it?" Ally raised the brush up menacingly, green paint still dripping down her cheek.

"I-I'm sorry." gasped out Maggie, winded from the sprint.

"Sure you are." Ally stepped closer, forcing Maggie to press back into the wall.

Out of options, Maggie swiftly lent up, pressing her lips against her girlfriend's. Ally moaned at the touch, her arm coming down as her other hand went up to run through dark brown hair. Maggie pressed harder into the woman, rubbing her fingers along the waistband of the painter's light blue pajama pants. Ally gasped as the fingers slipped underneath, running down heated skin.

The paint brush dropped to the floor with a small thud as she brought her other hand up to cup her cheek, a thumb lightly brushing against the smooth skin. She tugged at the silky hair tangled in her fingers, deepening the kiss.

She tore her mouth away with a shuddering gasp as two fingers slipped past her underwear and through short curls, sliding into her with ease.

"Baby," she moaned, Maggie's mouth attaching to her neck as she slowly pumped in and out of her. Ally's hands reached out, laying flat against the wall as she spread her legs wider, silently begging for more.

At the touch of a thumb against her hidden bundle of nerves, Ally slammed her eyes closed and shoved her face into the doctor's neck. The feelings of pleasure shook her body as the building pressure became too much.

Nibbling at her neck and shoulder, Maggie twisted her fingers. She wrapped her free arm around the redhead's waist as she felt her tremble, a groan of release sounding in her ear. Maggie held her close, feeling the waves of pure bliss wash over the gorgeous face.

As the trembles subsided, Ally leaned heavily against the smaller woman, her short breaths puffing against the exposed flesh of Maggie's neck.

"See. I told you, you should have stayed in here with me."


	21. Chapter 20A

This was it. It was all over. Three weeks had come and gone. Three weeks filled with dead ends and frustrated questions. No matter how much time was spent searching for new clues or going over old ones, no new evidence was found. The Lyon police must have been taking some perverse form of pleasure out of the mounting hopelessness. When Johnson and Stuart had re-initiated contact with them, the officers on the other end acted as if they never even heard of the case.

Frankie rolled the cigarette between her fingers, lost in thought. There was nothing more she could do. The only things she had actually accomplished were dodging phone calls from Washington and smoking her way through an entire shop's section of Marlboros. Not exactly anything to be immensely proud of.

The sound of a knock lightly filtered though the door. "Yeah." Frankie called out, eyes focused on the little white stick in her hand.

The door slowly squeaked open, Jones' head peeking in, "Agent Stone, ma'am, we're ready for you."

"Thanks Jones." Frankie mumbled out.

Waiting for some form of movement, Jones watched his boss just sit there, rolling the cigarette back and forth. After a minute of silence, he quietly shut the door, leaving her with her thoughts.

Frankie let out a sigh, knowing she had to get this over with. She carefully perched the cigarette on her ear, knowing she would most likely be needing it soon. Her fingers fumbled with the handle of the left drawer, pulling it open and taking out the nondescript black box. She stood up and grabbed her jacket, tossing it on as she walked out into the main office. The agents were gathered around in a tight blob, whispering amongst themselves. They quieted down at the sight of their leader. Ignoring the men, Frankie moved into the room, leaning back against an empty desk. She placed the box down on the scratched surface, flicking the top off absently.

"Alright, guys. This is it. We have the Cambias Halloween party this evening. The family will be leaving for the chateau rented for the party in a few hours. The place is only about forty-five minutes out of town by car."

Johnson stepped forward, handing everyone a folder. Frankie gestured for the agents to open it.

"Damn, it's like a giant castle." breathed out Stuart, looking at the pictures.

"That's what chateau means, stupid." Taylor rolled his eyes.

"As you can see, the place is huge. It has twenty bedrooms, two massive ballrooms, fifteen acres of wooden land, and a ten car garage, just to mention a few of the features. A place this big is going to be hard to fully monitor, especially with this small of a group. Because of this, we will be focusing solely on the party itself."

She flipped the page in her folder, the agents following suit. A list of names stared back at them.

"This is the guest list for the evening. If you haven't seen this yet, don't tell me because I will kick your ass. We have close to a hundred people attending this thing. That means there are a hundred people you have to watch."

"How are we gonna do that?" Taylor lifted his head to look at Frankie.

"You are all invited. As guests, you will mingle among the crowd, keeping your eyes peeled for suspicious activity. This isn't time for you to play get drunk and bag the rich chick."

Turning her eyes to the box next to her, Frankie reached a hand inside, pulling back to reveal small black earplugs.

"These will keep us connected. Put these in your ear, and we can talk with each other." She hoped to god they didn't lose or break them either. While _borrowing_ them without anyone noticing was easier then she had expected, she did not want to deal with being responsible for their complete disappearance. Having the Washington bureau on her back was enough, she didn't need the French bureau hopping on too.

"I'll be going ahead as Moore. While I'm away, Johnson will fill you in on your timetables. I'll personally scope out the area before any of the party members arrive. Just stick to the plan. Oh...and don't forget your costumes."

* * *

Seeing the front door for the Williams' apartment, Frankie tried not to think about how this was really truly the last time she'd be here. Rubbing her ear, she cursed herself for smoking the last cigarette on the walk from the metro stop to the building. Just knowing this was the beginning of the end had her coughing back tears. Once she started the process of attending the party, it was done. She'd go, see Bianca and the kids one last time, and then head home to Washington where she would possibly be handed her walking papers. No matter what, though, if this was going to be the last time she saw them, she was going to make it the best she possibly could. Unlike the last time she left Bianca, she wanted happy memories. With a deep breath, the brunette knocked on the door.

The door swung open, and a sight that nearly brought all of the emotions Frankie, in trying to keep her sanity, was pretending didn't exist met her gaze. A laughing Bianca appeared, Gabrielle in her arms. Her head was facing away, back towards the apartment.

"Miranda, no you cannot bring your entire collection of chia pets! I can't believe you actually like them."

"Well, they do grow on you." Frankie said, a bemused look on her face.

Bianca's head whipped around, bright brown eyes landing on the petite woman. "Hey, Frankie."

"Hey."

Bianca nervously pushed at her hair, forcing a few loose strands behind her ear, "Come on in. We were just finishing packing."

"Oh, I've heard of this," Frankie snapped her fingers, "I think it's called procrastination."

"Because arguing with my six year old daughter about her chia pets is my way of putting off work." Bianca dryly replied.

Frankie shrugged, "It's a brilliant plan. No one would ever guess your devious scheme."

Bianca chuckled, her smile widening. She couldn't help the nervousness that filled her heart while waiting for the other woman to show up. They hadn't had much contact over the past three weeks, the agent either spending time with the kids or off doing who knows what around town. She didn't know what to expect. Their last real conversation had been the confrontation over breakfast. Fortunately though, it seemed like Frankie was being her normal self, something the mother was happy to see. If Frankie could act normal, so could she. Hopefully the normality would help keep her mind off the fact that Frankie was leaving.

"Yeah, I'm the one with the devious plans." the taller woman shifted Gabrielle in her arms.

"It's always the quiet innocent ones. Should have known to watch out for you the minute we met."

"Because I sent off devious vibes."

"There were vibes...I don't know how devious they were, though. Maybe a little provocative..."

"_I _was the one sending off vibes?"

"Oh yeah, the whole time. It was crazy how much you were sending off."

"Who was it that made the first move again?"

"Why Bianca, don't you remember? It was when you looked at me with those smoldering lust filled eyes and gave me that come fu-" cheekily began Frankie when Miranda's voice shouted into the room.

"Mommy! Is she here?"

Bianca, eyes wide, slapped Frankie's shoulder as her oldest daughter jogged into the room. "Don't you even think about finishing that sentence, Mary-Francis."

"Frankie!" Miranda threw herself at the agent, wrapping her in a big hug.

"Hey kiddo. How goes it? You ready for the big party?"

"Yeah! You're here. I knew you'd come. Mommy said you wouldn't, but I knew you would."

"She did, did she?" Frankie glanced over at a gaping Bianca.

"Well, she said it to herself. She talks to herself sometimes. It's weird. But she said you weren't coming. But you promised."

"That I did. I would never break a promise to you." Frankie patted the little girl's back, "Why don't you go finish packing while I help your mom make sure everything's ready."

"Ok. I just hafta get Buster and Sally." The child gave her one last squeeze before running off.

"No Buster and Sally! You don't need to bring the chia pets!" Bianca yelled after her.

Frankie turned to the woman, an eyebrow raised. "Talking to yourself about me, huh?"

A blush coated Bianca's cheeks, "I just...wasn't sure."

The agent grinned at her, watching the pale hand push back dark chestnut hair, "I said I was gonna go. Wouldn't miss it for the world. I gotta see what your costume is."

Bianca rolled her eyes, letting out a short incredulous laugh, "You came so you could see my costume."

"Yeah," Frankie winked, "if you mix that hot smoldering lustful look with a short little nurse's outfit..."

"Oh my god, I wasn't giving you lustful looks." Bianca slapped her shoulder again.

"Whatever you say, Bianca'la. And ow...I bruise easily." she playfully rubbed at her shoulder.

"Yeah, big tough Frankie Stone brought down by a slap to the shoulder. What will the other playground kids think?"

"That you're physically abusive and I should get away as soon as possible. You're just too damn cute, though. Must be that Kane gene. We'll put up with anything to be near you."

Bianca shook her head at the conversation, "I can't believe we're talking about this. Stop."

"Me? You're the one hitting me." Frankie playfully gasped, pointing a finger.

"You're the one talking about looks that never happened."

"You keep telling yourself that."

"It's the truth."

"Oh...so you didn't want me the moment you saw me?" Frankie shot her a smirk.

"All I remember is some smart mouthed kid who wouldn't even give me her name."

"Probably because you can't seem to get it right. It's Frankie, not that Mary-Francis stuff."

"I don't know. Mary-Francis is kinda hot in that catholic nun kind of way." Bianca teased.

"Wow, sounds like someone has a little fantasy going on."

"Wouldn't you like to know." Bianca began to walk away towards the bedrooms.

Before Frankie could respond, the front door opened, distracting her. Reese walked in, a plastic bag in her hands.

"Oh Ms. Moore. Hi." Reese greeted, offering the woman a smile as she set down the bag.

"Good morning Mrs. Williams. And please, call me Frankie."

Reese shrugged out of her coat, draping it over an arm. Bianca came back into the room, arms now free. Seeing her wife, Reese stepped over to the brunette, chastely kissing her on the lips.

"Hey honey, I got that stuff from the store. That's all we needed, right?"

"Yeah, we're all ready now." Bianca's eyes flitted between the two women.

"Did you tell Frankie?" Reese wrapped an arm around Bianca's waist, pulling her in close.

Frankie grit her teeth at the display, forcing a smile. "Tell me what?"

Bianca shot her an apologetic look, which the agent promptly ignored, instead focusing on Reese. This was how it was supposed to be. How it always would be.

"We're going to be spending the weekend at the chateau. We've never stayed after the party before, but we thought it would be a great way to have a short vacation with the kids. I have so much work coming up soon, I don't know when we would be able to get away again. It's the perfect time." Reese answered.

Frankie blinked, keeping the smile on her face while her mind whirled. This could change things. There wasn't a plan set for the family actually staying at the place.

Reese turned to her wife, kissing her cheek, "I'm going to grab the kids. The car is downstairs if you want to head down. I love you."

Bianca nodded her head, her eyes following her wife's retreating form. She couldn't help but feel slightly guilty. Her wife was busy, but she was still her wife. They had gotten married for a reason. They loved each other. A lot had happened with the wedding in Pine Valley. Reese had kissed someone else...Bianca's brother-in-law and Gabrielle's father. There had been lies and secrets. But, they decided to work through it. Because they were in love. This vacation was another way for them to reconnect.

Her brown eyes turned to take in the agent. The woman who had dropped back into her life after eight years. The woman who, no matter what Bianca tried or did, made emotions and feelings roll through her veins like an avalanche.

"A vacation, huh?" Frankie spoke, the smile a little wobbly now that Reese was gone.

Bianca shrugged, "She brought it up, and there was no reason to say no."

Frankie looked away, scratching at her scalp. Bianca slowly moved towards her, feelings of guilt shifting direction.

"Makes sense. You two haven't seen a lot of each other and..."

"Don't do that." Bianca ordered, noticing the walls starting to go up.

Frankie sighed, dropping her guard. "Alright. I won't."

"Promise?"

"Promise." Frankie smirked, "You're so bossy."

"I thought you liked bossy." Bianca grinned, happy that the earlier dynamic was back. She pushed away all her thoughts, focusing solely on the woman in front of her.

"Maybe if you were wearing that little nurse's outfit..."

Bianca leaned down, placing her lips next to Frankie's ear, "Maybe if you're good tonight I'll even break out the smoldering lustful stare."

Frankie's jaw dropped, her body frozen in place, as she walked away, earning a weird look from Miranda as she skipped by, tugging at the agent's hand.

* * *

The ride to the chateau was shorter than Frankie expected. The family had taken two cars out to the castle. With a hired driver behind the wheel, Bianca, Reese, and Gabrielle bundled into the first car. Miranda pleaded to go with Frankie in the second. After performing one of the best pouts to date, Bianca let the little girl slide in the backseat with Frankie, the little cherub regaling the agent with stories about her chia pets as the door closed.

The forty-five minute ride was filled with Miranda's voice. Even though they had seen each other the day before, the little child seemed to have experienced a million things since that time. She talked about Buster and Sally, her fairy costume, the way Gabrielle spewed cheerios all over Reese which caused her to spurt milk out of her nose (and that hurt a lot!). Frankie sat back and listened, making a comment every once in a while, but mainly enjoying the little Montgomery's presence.

When they reached the castle, Frankie blinked in astonishment. The pictures didn't do it justice. A long winding gravel road led up to a circular drive. Trees and flowers lined the path, finely trimmed grass meeting them near the building. The chateau itself was massive, every inch the royal residence it was meant to be. Gold tipped parapets glistened in the midday sun, catching Frankie's eye as she stepped out of the car.

The inside was just as wondrous. Every room was laid out with fine Italian marble. Priceless paintings adorned the walls. Staff ran around, getting everything set up for the party. The ballrooms were transformed into glorious portals to a world of glitz and glamor. Crystal and diamond chandeliers hung from the fresco ceilings. A stage equipped for a twenty piece band sat off in a corner, a large dance space before it. Bottles of champagne were whisked back and forth, tall thin crystal glasses following in their wake.

A frazzled staff member, holding Frankie's small bag, ushered her up the wide double staircase and to the east wing. He led her down one of the glittering hallways to a room at the very end. Opening the door for her, Frankie felt her jaw drop at the sight.

The room was gigantic, bigger than the house she grew up in. A king size four poster bed regally sat against the side wall. Across the room, velvet drapes brushed aside to allow the gold and glass doors to showcase the wide balcony, with a view overlooking the wooded land. A walk-in closet was off to the side along with another door. The staff member moved into the room, depositing her bag at the foot of the bed.

"This iz your bedroom." he spoke in a heavily accented voice. "The closet and bathroom are through theze doors." He pointed at the two doors to the side.

Frankie absently thanked him, brushing off his offer for further help. This room...this house...was nothing like she had ever seen before. Blinking rapidly, she chuckled to herself, "From a park bench to a castle. Not bad, Stone."

She started to explore the room. She walked over to the closet, pulling open the door to be met with what could quite possibly be the entrance to Narnia. The bathroom was filled with a marble bathtub big enough for four people, a shower with multiple showerheads, and sink a mile wide.

Moving back into the bedroom, Frankie felt a small vibration against her thigh. Digging out her cellphone, she flipped it open to see the number displayed across the flashing screen. It was Washington.

Hitting ignore, she waited for the inevitable spasm that would alert a new voicemail. Holding the phone as if it were something poisonous, the agent waited, tapping her fingers against her leg, until she felt the short burst against her hand. She pressed a few buttons and held the phone up to her ear.

"Stone, this is Luke Michaels. I don't know what you're trying to pull here, but you better stop it right now. This has gone on long enough. Call me back as soon as you get this message. And get your ass back to Washington!"

His voice lowered as he spoke the next part, "This isn't smart, junior. You're messing up. It's not gonna be looking good here. I know what you are up to, and it won't be long before others above me start hearing too. There's only so much I can do for you. So get back here, before you lose your entire career."

There was a small click and a mechanical female voice asked if she wanted to save the message. Frankie blinked and slowly brought the phone away from her ear, hitting the delete button repeatedly. Her fingers tightened around the small object, causing the metal to dig into her flesh. She needed a plan. She needed something...anything. Because after this party, her job was all she had left.

"There you are. I see you found your room." a bright voice startled her out of her thoughts.

Frankie spun around to see a grinning Bianca standing at her door. The grin soon turned into a frown as the woman saw the death grip on the phone and the slightly panicked look in Frankie's brown eyes.

"What's wrong?" she stepped further into the room, heading directly for the agent.

Frankie shot her a tiny smirk, pushing the thoughts away, "Nothing. Just wondering how I can snag the family silver without getting guillotined."

Bianca raised an eyebrow, not convinced but letting it go...for now. "I don't think they do that to people anymore."

"It's the French, Bianca. It's like, their trademark or something."

"I thought that was wine and cheese."

"And headless bloody people. Just you wait, I bet this place is filled with ghosts that are going to crash your Halloween party."

Bianca gave her a disbelieving look, "Ghosts, huh?"

"Yep, and they're going to turn this thing into a scene from Casper."

Bianca rolled her eyes, "Casper? You're such a goof."

Frankie chuckled, throwing the phone onto her bed, "What brings you by? Don't tell me you need an escape plan already. I'm getting too old to sneak you out of houses. Unless you brought that nurse's..."

"Get over the nurse's outfit! And you only snuck me out of the house once. Which was your idea, if I remember correctly."

"I was bored, and your mom was in her whole 'I need to keep my daughter locked away from that evil lying con artist.' phase."

Bianca smiled softly at the memory, "I can't believe you scaled up the side of the house like that. You almost killed yourself."

"Well, I could have pulled a Rupunzel and yelled at you to throw down your hair, but your mom would have heard and flipped down her own hair to trick me. She does have that hair flipping thing down to an art."

"I'm sure you would have been able to tell the difference. Besides, if you fell you would have been ok. You have experience falling from high heights." Bianca teased, bringing up the cookie incident.

"Yeah, your mom had so much Enchantment product in her hair, it'd probably attack me with scented perfumes and hairspray. And that fall was all because of a shoddy cabinet, not my climbing skills."

"Because you climbed so many mountains in Green Bay."

"Who said it was mountains? Maybe I was climbing up after some girl..."

"Yeah, you're such a Romeo." Bianca joked, feeling a small twinge in her gut at the thought of Frankie sneaking in to meet someone who wasn't her.

Frankie shrugged, smugly crossing her arms, "I do seem to catch the fair maidens."

"Yeah, so did the evil guy who tied them to train tracks. You know, the one with the twirling moustache and black cloak."

"Are you saying I'm that guy?"

"No," Bianca smirked, "I think you're Dudley Do-Right."

Frankie blinked, "Dudley Do-Right."

"Yeah, you get to save the damsel in distress and ride off into the sunset."

"Facing backwards on my horse while wearing a Canadian Mountie's uniform."

"I think you'd look cute in a uniform."

Frankie took a step forward, "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

As she took another step closer, entering Bianca's personal space, Frankie felt a a blast of nervousness race down her spine. A quick glance at the taller woman revealed a mixture of apprehension and eagerness shining in her brilliant brown orbs. Stopping so she was toe-to-toe with Bianca, Frankie looked down at their shoes, swallowing thickly as her mouth suddenly went dry. She cleared her throat, then cleared it again, her voice seeming to stick to the roof of her mouth.

Bianca reached out and gently ran her fingertips down the agent's arm. When she felt the slight curve of a wrist, she tapped her fingers, "Wanna go for a walk?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Frankie pulled away, jamming her hands into her pockets, "Sure. You can give me a tour and show me all of the most expensive stuff."

Together, they turned towards the door. Taking measured steps, Frankie mentally pushed down the feelings of sadness and regret. This was the last day before she had to leave. Before she went back to her empty apartment in Virginia and Bianca returned to her happy life with her wife and family.

* * *

It was almost time for the party. Frankie adjusted the white plastic mask on her face, making sure it was straight and surrounded her eyes in the full length mirror. Satisfied, she buttoned the bottom two buttons on her black blazer and straightened the sleeves. She pulled on her white cuffs, making sure the desired amount showed beyond the jacket. Rolling her shoulder, she stuck a hand inside her jacket to adjust the shoulder harness, the weight of the gun resting safely against the side of her chest.

With one last look, she was out the door. She took two steps to the right and turned, pushing open the next door down. Gabrielle and Miranda's room was right next to her own, allowing the nanny easy access to her charges. The toddler was bouncing around on her bed, a green dress spinning around her. Her hair was piled on top of her head, held in place by a plastic gold crown and what had to be an entire bottle of sparkles.

"I hope you're not trying to fly, kid. I tried that when I was younger and it didn't work out."

Miranda giggled and bounced over to Frankie, the size of the bed forcing the girl to take a few extra jumps. Without a word, she launched herself off the bed, plowing into Frankie and slamming the agent to the ground.

"Frankie...you're supposed to catch me." Miranda pouted, crossing her arms as she sat up on the woman's belly.

Frankie held back a groan, her back aching in protest at the hard fall, "Glad you're happy to see me, but usually you tell someone if you're gonna tackle them. This isn't football. If you added a little gold to that green though..."

Miranda crossed her arms, "Mommy and Reese can catch me."

"And they are, like, half a foot taller than me, too."

Frankie slowly sat up, causing the little girl to slide down into her lap. Seeing that she caused her friend pain, Miranda wrapped her arms around the agent's neck. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"It's ok. Next time I'll catch ya." Frankie loosely wrapped an arm around the girl's waist, the other one propping her up. The agent basked in the tight hug, memorizing the feel of the little girl. They had yet to tell the child Frankie was leaving. She would know soon enough.

Releasing her hold, Miranda crawled off the short woman and struck a pose, "I'm a fairy."

Frankie chuckled, pushing herself off the floor, "I thought fairies were pink."

"No silly, they wear green."

"Oh. Don't you need a wand or something?"

"No." Miranda gave her a 'duh' look.

Frankie raised an eyebrow, "Ok then, fairy Miranda. No wand."

Miranda huffed and stomped her foot. "Frankie, I'm Tinkerbell!"

The agent felt her eyes widen. Yep, this little girl was definitely a Kane. She was heading to a party at one of the most luxurious chateaus available in France, and was already having a small tantrum.

"Alright then." Frankie held up her hands in a placating position, "How about we head down to the party. I bet your parents are waiting."

Miranda nodded, adjusting her crown. Frankie walked over and picked up Gabrielle, who was dressed as a baby pumpkin. Holding her in one arm, she dropped the other, the hand quickly clasped in Miranda's.

As they walked out of the room, Miranda stared up at Frankie, "What are you supposed ta be?"

Frankie offered her a wink, "I'm a secret agent."

"Oh." Miranda's mouth formed a wide O.

The trio meandered down the hallway, the sounds of clinking glasses and the murmur of voices echo up from the ballrooms downstairs. As they reached the top of the stairs, they saw Reese, waiting patiently in a short black dress, a feathered beaded black mask in her hand. Her long blonde hair was down, curving across her shoulders and onto her back. Noticing the group, she smiled at them, taking Gabrielle from Frankie when they were close enough.

"Hi! Aren't you adorable." Reese cooed at Gabrielle before looking down at Miranda, who had yet to relinquish Frankie's hand, "And you too, Miranda. You look exactly like Thumbilina."

"It's Tinkerbell." Miranda huffed under her breath. Frankie had to bite the inside of her cheek to hold in the laugh.

"Thank you for bringing them out here. We'll bring them down to the party, if you want to go ahead. After we show these two off for a little bit, we'll drop them off with you." Reese directed at Frankie.

The brunette nodded. She tried to pull her hand away, but Miranda wouldn't let go.

"Why can't Frankie come down with us?"

Reese glanced between the two, "Because we're going down as a family, Miranda."

"Frankie's family."

Reese's eyes cut to the agent, a questioning gleam in them. Frankie quickly knelt down, facing the girl.

"Kid, you need to go be with your mommy and Reese right now. I'll see you later."

"But why?"

"That's the way it is." she offered a small shrug.

"I wanna go with you."

Frankie inhaled deeply, trying not to show how the girl's words were affecting her. She took a more resolved stance. "Miranda, you need to go with your family. Now let go of my hand."

"I didn't mean to jump on you." Miranda frowned.

"This isn't about that, kid." Frankie softened, "I'll see you soon. Don't you want to walk with your mom and sister?"

Miranda nodded her head sadly.

"Ok then, just go over to Reese, and I'll see you as soon as you get to the party."

Miranda reluctantly let go and shuffled over to Reese, who put a comforting arm across her shoulder.

"We'll be down soon. Just waiting for Bianca to finish getting ready." Reese said.

Without a word, Frankie flashed a tight smile and left.

* * *

Entering the ballroom was like being thrown into a really old movie. The ones were everyone was dressed to the nines and a big band was playing music. Couples waltzed across the dance floor, tuxedo-ed men leading jewel draped women in circles and turns. Waiters clothed in crisp white shirts and bow-ties glided around with trays full of champagne and horsdevours. The band finished a song and began a jazzy number, the suited men being led by the singer.

Frankie grabbed a flute of champagne as it coasted by. It wasn't her first choice in drinks, and she shouldn't be drinking on the job, but she needed something to get through this evening. She stood off to the side, watching the people mingle. A group of women a few feet away were gossiping about some lady in their book club. The agent couldn't listen anymore. They were meaner than some of the street thugs she had met. She sipped at her drink, fingers tugging uncomfortably at her collar. This was not her kind of thing.

She scanned the room, spotting her agents at different parts of the area. Her eyes landed on Jones, the young man nervously twitching and rubbing at his ear.

"Stop touching your ear, Jones!" Frankie ordered quietly in her microphone. The man jumped, looking over at her sheepishly.

Sighing, she went back to her drink. Hearing a quiet murmur among the crowd, she looked over to the entrance. There stood the family. Reese, in her black ensemble holding Gabrielle. Miranda was between the two adults.

Then there was Bianca.

Dressed in a flowing red sleeveless gown, she shined in the presence of her family. Her long dark hair was held up, a few curly trendils lazily floating down to tease her long smooth neck. A diamond necklace adorned her upper chest, sparkling in the light. Long diamond and ruby encrusted earrings flashed as she moved. Thin red heels gave her an added three inches. A cut up the side of the gown revealed a long creamy white leg every few steps.

Frankie fumbled with the glass in her hand, unable to tear her eyes away from the sight. She gulped down the rest of the liquid, tossing the empty flute at a passing server. Her eyes followed the group, watching as they chatted with familiar employees and old friends. After finishing a tour of the room, Frankie had no idea how long that took, but it was probably longer than the three seconds she thought, the small family headed towards her. On the way, Miranda tugged at Reese's dress. After a short exchange, Reese walked towards a small bar in the corner where water, sodas, and juice were available.

Bianca kept walking towards Frankie, smiling at her thirsty daughter. The agent gulped and blinked rapidly as Bianca reached her.

"You look beautiful." she whispered, unable to stop herself.

Bianca grinned at the compliment, "You don't look too bad yourself."

Frankie ducked her head, the tips of her ears burning. She cleared her throat, fingers scratching at her head, "Yeah, well, us strays take our flea bath once every year. Lucky for you it was today."

"I like it being my lucky day."

A smirk, "How lucky is it?"

"I don't know. Are you staying?"

Frankie's lips dropped into a frown, her throat constricting tightly.

Bianca gasped softly, a hand coming to her chest, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. It's just..."

"Hard." Frankie finished for her with a sad smile.

"I don't want to ruin this evening. I want you to have fun. I want to...I want something to hold onto, a memory I can keep."

Frankie forced the smirk back onto her face, "You mean Leo's wedding wasn't enough?"

Bianca quirked an eyebrow, "You mean the one wear Greenlee set off the sprinklers and the place was flooded?"

"It was fun to me." Frankie shrugged, "Those people were so soaked."

Bianca laughed, a memory popping into her head, "And you wore that dress and those heels. You about killed yourself on the stairs going inside."

The memory of almost face-planting on the first set of stairs they encountered flashed in the agent's mind, "Hey, you don't exactly get a lot of experience walking in those things living in hotel lobbies. I made it down the second set though, when there were actual people around."

Bianca chuckled, "Yes, I didn't have to catch you a second time."

"You were good at catching me, though. Maybe it was a secret plan for me to get in your arms?"

Bianca shook her head, "I see you aren't wearing any heels tonight."

"Didn't go with my outfit." Frankie deadpanned. "However, with what you're wearing, I think you got that covered for the both of us. I don't know what's longer, those heels or those earrings."

"Mommy! They have grape juice that sparkled!" Miranda skipped over to the duo, Reese and Gabby on her heels.

"Wow! That's great, honey." Bianca smiled down at the little girl.

"Here sweetie, I got you something." Reese handed Bianca a flute of champagne.

As soon as Bianca took the glass, Reese passed Gabrielle to Frankie. Arms free, she wrapped them around her wife, placing a kiss on her lips, "Shall we go mingle some more? Your CFO was wanting to speak with you."

Bianca's eyes locked with Frankie's, the stare only breaking when the couple reached the short skinny man dressed as a dashing swordsman. Miranda tugged at Frankie's hand, pulling her over to an empty table.

"What's up, kiddo?"

"We need ta talk."

Frankie looked at the determined face, slowly sitting down in a chair.

"You sound a lot like your mom, you know that?"

"You shouldn't go."

Frankie furrowed her brow, a shot of fear chilling her blood, "Who said I was going somewhere?"

"I heard you and mommy." Miranda's resolved stance drooping, "And mommy was really sad and crying. She didn't want me to know, but she was."

Frankie felt a lump in her throat, "When was she crying?"

"After you left. After you guys yelled."

Frankie rubbed at her face and closed her eyes.

Miranda sniffled, "Is it because of me? Was I bad?"

"No!" Frankie's eyes flew open, "This has nothing to do with you. Or your mom or your sister."

"Then why are you going?"

"I have to, kid. For my job."

"Your job is to take care of us."

Frankie tugged at her collar, "Well, sometimes...I have to take care of other people too. So, I have to go to them."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Get someone else!"

"I can't."

"Why?"

Frankie shrugged, "That's just the way it is."

"But...but...don't you love us?" Miranda looked up with big teary eyes.

Frankie had to look away. She felt like she couldn't breathe. A tiny hand touched her face.

"You, your sister, your mom...you are the most important people in my life. Never forget that."

"Then don't go."

"Ok." Frankie breathed out, not able to break the little girl's heart. There was no way she could stay, but how could she tell her that?

"Really?"

"Yeah, kid, really."

Miranda hugged Frankie's neck, "Yay!"

Frankie pushed down the lump in her throat, "You know why I can't leave?"

"Why?" Miranda pulled back.

"Because I wouldn't be able to do my most favorite thing in the world."

"What?"

"This!" Frankie reached for the girl, tickling her sides.

Miranda laughed, drawing the attention of the people nearby, but they didn't care.

* * *

"That's Mr. Gusteau. He always gives me candy when I visit mommy." Miranda was curled up against Frankie.

Glancing at her watch, the woman saw it was nearing time for the kids to go back upstairs and to bed. Setting a sleepy Miranda on her feet, Frankie scooped up an already sleeping Gabrielle, cradling her in her arms. She maneuvered them through the noisy crowd and up the stairs. Ten minutes later, they were in front of the bedroom door, the east wing a little tricky if you hadn't been shown the way.

She herded Miranda into the room. Walking over, she gently placed Gabrielle in her crib, pulling the blanket over the little pumpkin.

Miranda staggered over to her bed, snuggling under the massive blankets. The bed dwarfed her, making it seem like it was almost swallowing her whole.

"Why don't we take this off, Tink." Frankie untangled the hair stuck in the plastic tiara and slipped it off, setting it down on the bedside table.

"Read me a story, Frankie." Miranda mumbled, her eyes half closed.

"What do ya want? Sleeping Beauty, again?"

"Make up a story."

"I don't know any stories."

"Please."

Frankie sighed, sitting down at the edge of the bed.

"Ok. Um...what kind of story?"

"A love story."

"Jeez...ok. Uh...there once was a girl...a princess. A long long time ago. She lived in this big beautiful house with her mom and a lot of servants. She loved her mom a lot, but she was lonely. She didn't have many friends."

"Why not?" yawned Miranda.

Frankie shrugged, "People were jealous of her. She was kind to everyone, and very pretty. One day, though, she met someone. And they became friends. This person liked the princess very much, but the princess's mom didn't like this new friend."

"Why?"

"Because she was scared this new person would hurt her daughter."

"That's silly. Friends don't hurt each other."

Frankie chuckled, "That's true. But the mom thought the person was being friends with the princess so she could steal the princess's gold."

"Why would they do that?"

"Because the friend was poor and didn't have any gold of her own."

"Did she?"

"Steal the gold? Nope. She couldn't. You see, this new friend fell in love with the princess, and the princess fell in love with her friend. But something terrible happened."

"No. What?"

"The princess's friend had an evil aunt who wanted to hurt the princess. She tried to get the friend to hurt her, but the friend refused, because she loved the princess. So, the evil aunt came up with a plan to hurt the friend. One night, when it was really dark, the aunt sent a man to visit the friend. He attacked her, and tried to kill her."

"Was she ok?" Miranda looked worriedly at the woman, the blankets bunched underneath her chin.

"She got hurt, but he didn't kill her."

"Did the princess come save her?"

Frankie smiled softly, "Yes, yes she did save her."

"And they lived happily ever after?"

"Yeah, kid. They lived happily ever after."

Frankie tucked the blankets around Miranda's form, the child turning on her side.

"Goodnight, Frankie. Love you." she murmured, her breathing evening out as sleep took over.

"'Night kid." Frankie got up, turning off the lights and closing the door as she left.


	22. Chapter 20B

Returning to the party, Frankie immediately noticed Bianca standing off to the side of the dance floor, a tall man close beside her. Reese, strangely, wasn't in sight. Narrowing her eyes, Frankie stalked over to them. Getting closer, she saw Bianca lean away as the man leered at her.

"Come on, one dance. You look lonely standing over here by yourself. Trust me, you'll enjoy it." the man spoke, his mouth twisted in a disgusting smirk as his comb over flapped.

"Hey Bianca, sorry I took so long. You know how those people are." Frankie slid next to the tall woman.

Bianca turned to Frankie, a look of relief passing between the two, "That's ok, I understand how they are."

Looking back at the man, Frankie offered her arm to the CEO, who quickly took it, "You don't mind if I take this beautiful woman for a dance, do ya? I think she was going to shoot you down, anyways."

The man glared at her as she led Bianca away, the younger woman trying to stifle her laughs.

"Oh, and dude, fix the hair. Just 'cause Donald Trump does it doesn't mean it's cool."

A burst of laughter broke through Bianca's hand, following the two as they walked away from the fuming man.

"Thank you so much, he wouldn't go away." Bianca laughed.

"No problem. Saving damsels in distress is part of my job. I'm just wondering where the wife is, since I think that's also what she's supposed to do."

"She saw a friend and went to talk with him."

"Lucky for you I was here. It must be your lucky day."

Frankie began to steer them towards the tables, but Bianca stopped her, "Where are you going?"

"Over there." Frankie hooked a thumb.

"You said we were going to dance."

Frankie blinked, "Dance?"

"Yeah." Bianca grinned.

"Bianca, I was just saying that. You know...to get rid of creepy comb over dude."

"Aww, come on."

"I don't dance."

"Just one?"

"Why?"

Bianca shyly glanced down, pushing a trendil of hair behind her ear, "Because I want to dance with you. We never got to dance together."

"Did you ever think there was a reason for that?"

Bianca shot her a soft pleading look, "Please."

"But...look at those shoes," Frankie pointed at Bianca's feet, "You're, like, a foot taller than me. That's not gonna work. It'll be awkward..."

Her voice trailed off as Bianca raised a foot, her hand landing on Frankie's shoulder for balance. She slipped off one heel, then the other, carelessly tossing them aside.

"There. Anything else?"

"Bianca..."

"Frankie," the younger woman cut her off, "Do you want to dance with me?"

Swallowing thickly, Frankie looked down at the ground, "More than anything."

"So let's go." Bianca gently tugged at her hand, pulling her out onto the dance floor.

This was a bad idea. Frankie knew this was a bad idea. She couldn't be this close to Bianca. Be this close...knowing it was all going to end. But as Bianca found them an open spot and softly wrapped her arms around the agent, all Frankie could think was that this felt like heaven.

Frankie placed her arms around Bianca, hearing the first strains of the song begin to play as the singer stepped up to the microphone.

_You're in my arms_

_and all the world is calm_

_the music playing on for only two_

_so close together_

_and when I'm with you_

_so close to feeling alive_

The couple gently began to sway, the world falling away as they looked into each other's eyes. Emotions each desperately tried to keep hidden pouring out, trying to connect with its partner's soul.

_A life goes by_

_romantic dreams will stop_

_so I'll bid mine goodbye and never knew_

_so close was waiting, waiting her with you_

_and now forever I know_

_all that I wanted to hold you_

_so close_

"Is this ok?" Bianca whispered. All Frankie could do was tighten her hold, pulling the woman closer to her.

_So close to reaching that famous happy ending_

_almost believing this was not pretend_

Bianca felt her heart beating in her chest, knowing this was real. It had always been real. Looking down into the face that had haunted her for eight years, she clenched her jaw, her chin trembling.

_And now you're beside me_

_and look how far we've come_

Frankie ran her fingers across the smooth pale skin. She felt a slight tug at her jacket, causing her to take a tiny step closer. She gulped, the warm arms wrapped around her body forming a cocoon she never wanted to leave. She couldn't help a wondrous smile. Two teenage kids, both from different worlds with different paths, were now dancing together thousands of miles from where they met and years after they first saw each other. Now adults, their paths had miraculously crossed again, bringing them back together.

_So far, we are so close_

Hearing the music begin to pick up, Bianca softly spoke again, "Come with me." Then they were twirling, spinning around the dance floor. A sliver of giddiness broke through. This is what she wanted to do. She could do this forever.

_How could I face the faceless days_

_if I should lose you now_

As the music slowed down, the couple stopped, standing together in each other's arms. Couples danced around them, unknown entities to the pair. Frankie choked back a sob. This is what she had lost...what she was losing again.

_We're so close to reaching that famous happy end_

_and almost believing this was not pretend_

_let's go on dreaming, for we know we are_

Bianca closed her eyes, resting her forehead against Frankie's. Her entire body trembled with emotion as she inhaled deeply, the sweet smell of amber Frankie always wore causing her to lose control, if just for a moment.

Frankie felt the tears hitting her face as Bianca moved closer, barely an inch between their faces as their bodies pressed together. She felt a pair of watery lips lightly touch her cheek, then her jaw. Unable to contain her feelings, Frankie reached a hand up, tracing a familiar path from Bianca's temple, down the curve of her jaw, to her shaking chin. She cupped her face, leaning up...

_So close_

_so close_

_and still so far _

"Um...Agent Stone...ma'am." Jones stutter in her ear abruptly brought Frankie out of the moment.

Blinking, she stumbled backwards, her eyes meeting a visibly upset Bianca. Bianca tried to pull her back, tears racing down her cheeks. Frankie tore her eyes away from the heartbroken gaze, landing on the small huddles of people who were staring at them instead of enjoying the party, surely gossiping about what their married boss was doing.

"There you are, baby. I've been looking for you." Reese approached, a grin on her face showing she missed the dance. Seeing the tears on her wife's face, her smile fell, "What's wrong? You're crying."

Bianca wiped at her face, "It's nothing. I'm fine. I just...allergies."

Reese gave her a concerned look as she led her away to an open seat, rubbing the woman's back. Frankie turned away from the sight, rushing away to a darkened corner of the room. Her eyes caught Jones, his sad pitying gaze making the burn in her chest increase tenfold. Reaching a safe haven, she gasped in air, trying to force the emotions away. She braced a hand against the wall, her head lowered as she fought for air. Her lungs burned, needing sweet intoxicating smoke, while her heart burned for the touch it had just lost.

She swiped two flutes of champagne as a server passed by, downing them both in ten seconds. With the sudden surge of alcohol, she was finally able to get a hold of her emotions. Breathing deep even breaths, she was able to show a little composure, her eyes finally able to turn back to the party. Reese was hovering over Bianca, thumbs rubbing over tear tracks as she placed kisses on top of the brunette hair.

Unable to watch, she looked over the room, focusing on other patrons. All of a sudden, though, a tiny twinge happened in her gut. Something felt...off. She ignored it, but it wouldn't go away. Her eyes passed over the room, and nothing seemed to be amiss. The feeling kept up, though. Something was wrong.

"I'm going upstairs. Something doesn't feel right." She spoke lowly into the microphone.

"Yeah, something sure is wrong here. It might be that you almost..." began Taylor.

"Roger that, boss." Jones interrupted.

Ignoring the other agents, she slipped out of the ballroom unseen, carefully scanning the area as she went up the stairs. Nothing should be wrong up there. No one knew the family was staying here except the family, the staff, and her. Slowly she walked down the hallway, her shoes soundless in the dark.

Reaching the children's room, she saw the door was opened a crack. Thinking back, she clearly remembered shutting the door. Had Miranda woken up?

Stepping forward, she slid along the wall. Stopping at the edge of the door frame, she slowly tilted her head, peering inside. As her eyes adjusted to the dark, the shadows blended together to take shape.

There was a man standing at the foot of Miranda's bed.

Frankie bit her tongue, holding in the shocked gasp. Her eyes followed as he stepped around the side of the bed, his gaze focused on the sleeping child.

Thinking quickly, Frankie eased the door open wide enough to slip through. Noiselessly, she crept up behind him. As he reached out for the child, she hooked an arm around his elbow, the other hand coming up to catch his startled shout. Spinning him around, she came face to face with a eery plain white halloween mask, the man's features completely covered.

She forcefully pulled at his black shirt, making him stumble away from the bed. She needed to get him out of the room.

Catching himself, he swung a fist, missing the agent as she ducked and hit his stomach. As he bent forward, she pushed at his chest, the blow carrying him to the door. Having the momentum, she ran, tackling him out into the hallway.

Landing on top of him, she threw a punch, connecting with his nose. She felt the bone and cartilage crunch beneath her fist, blood shooting out of his mask.

He reached up, big hands grasping at her neck. She swung at his hands, batting them away. Distracted, she didn't notice as he turned his body. He flipped them over, her back hitting the floor. He pushed down on her, using his weight to crush the air out of her.

It felt like a thousand pounds was pressing down on her chest and neck. Gasping for air, Frankie wildly swung her arms, her palm connecting with his mask and pushing it into his eye. He reared back, hands going to the mask. Having an opening, she brought up her knees, kicking him away.

Free from the other, they scrambled to their feet. The man stood up, fists raised. Frankie jumped up, pulling out her gun and releasing the safety.

Hands steady, she pointed the gun at the man's chest. They stared at each other, waiting for the other to move. The man looked towards the room, then down the hall to where the stairs were. Frankie could feel the evil smile cross his face.

He knew.

She couldn't pull the trigger. The noise would not only scare the kids, but alert the whole party downstairs. Someone would hear the gunshot. Someone would come upstairs to find out what was going on.

Frankie felt sweat drip down her shirt. If she pulled the trigger, two things could happen. Someone would come investigate, for sure. Either she would continue pretending to be Ms. Moore, which she then would be arrested and most likely convicted for shooting someone. Or, she broke cover and ruined whatever was left of her investigation.

Suddenly, he was charging at her. Without thinking, Frankie smashed the gun against his face, as she ducked out of the way. Her arm wrapped around his neck and she jumped on his back. Her other arm pulled on the one wrapped around his neck.

One of the first things she was taught by Luke was the chokehold.

The man flailed about, his arms spinning wildly as he tried to get her off his back. Frankie tightened her grip, cutting off the blood to his brain.

Beginning to feel lightheaded, the man dug his feet into the ground and pushed backwards, running until he smashed into the wall. Frankie couldn't help the groan as her back slammed into the plaster and stone. The gun clattered to the ground, sliding away from them. Stepping forward, he pushed back again and again, trying to dislodge her.

The pain began to cause her entire body to shake, but Frankie held on, knowing that if she let go he would kill her. Slowly his movements became muddled, his lethargic mind unable to keep going. With one finally push, his feet slipped out from under him, and he fell to the floor, Frankie holding on.

As he slumped forward, eyes closed, Frankie spoke quickly, "I need back-up upstairs. NOW!"

She kept her hold, afraid he might wake up. Within a minute, Jones and Barnes were running down the hall, guns drawn.

"Don't shoot me!" Frankie almost yelled as they pointed their guns at the two.

Finally freeing her hold, she crawled away from the man, the pain in her back so intense she couldn't get off her knees. Getting a few feet away, she tumbled to the floor, her eyes closing. She felt like she couldn't breathe. Every breath she took forced the pain to ricochet up and down her back.

"Are you ok, ma'am?" Jones moved towards her.

"Get him locked up somewhere." Frankie ordered, pointing at the still unconscious man, "I want to talk to him. Don't let anyone see you."

"But ma'am..."

"Jones, get him locked up! Now!" Frankie ground out.

Nodding, the two men efficiently bound the man's hands and lifted him up, carrying him away. Placing her hands against the wall, Frankie pushed herself up, her clenched teeth trying to hold back the painful moan.

She slowly staggered to the children's room, using the wall for support. Stepping inside, she checked on Gabrielle and Miranda, both thankfully still asleep. Gently she pulled the blankets up around Miranda, touching her tiny shoulder before leaving.

* * *

Bianca was dancing with Reese, the two swaying to the slow song the band decided to play. She hoped Reese didn't notice how distracted she was. She hadn't seen Frankie since their dance, and she was worried. She prayed the agent hadn't left. The thought of her leaving now...it wasn't...she couldn't handle that. Everything was so confusing and messed up, but she knew one thing. She wanted Frankie in her life.

Peering over Reese's shoulder, she smiled at seeing Frankie walk into the room. Worry filled her, though, as she saw the shorter girl stumble towards three other men. Her clothes were rumpled and creased. She was wincing with every step, her hand supporting her lower back. Something happened.

"Bianca, are you ok?" Reese asked.

Bianca turned her gaze to the blonde, smiling at her, "Fine. Just watching people."

When she turned back to look at Frankie, she was gone.


	23. Chapter 21

I apologize for this taking so long, but seems to not like me posting. Well, it doesn't like me having breaks between sections in chapters is more like it. I'm trying to work past the headaches and frustration, but if the formatting seems weird, that's why. Hope you enjoy the story!

* * *

If one were to enter the library and remove the Holy Bible and Volatire's Zadig, the entire bookcase would swing open and reveal a hidden staircase. Winding down among old quarried stone, the skinny stairs led to a darkened hallway, only lit by a few strategically placed lanterns. A few hundred feet down this secret underground passageway, there was a small meeting room. It was used long ago as a secret meeting place for the nobility during the revolution and by resistance fighters during World War II. Now though, the occupants of this room waited silently, the sound of heavy footsteps echoing against the harsh terrain.

Frankie slammed open the door, her eyes scanning the room, passing over Jones and Barnes before landing on the silent man sitting in the wooden chair. She walked into the dimly lit room, a few scattered lanterns casting shadows along the solid stone walls. She threw the pad of paper and black pen Johnson had handed her on the way in on the wooden table before pulling the other wooden chair over, the legs screeching against the floor.

Sitting down heavily, she took in the man across from her. He had short blonde hair, the strands matted to his head. Empty gray eyes stared down at the table, blank as the pad of paper in front of the agent. His nose was crooked, white tissue shoved into it to help stem the blood flow. He was dressed all in black, dark stains from his injury speckling the shirt. His hands were tied behind the chair.

"You go into little girls' rooms often?" Frankie stared at him, mouth set in a firm line.

The man continued to stare at the desk, giving no indication that he had heard the question.

"What were you doing up there?"

Again, no response.

Frankie bit the inside of her cheek and leaned back. Nodding her head, she stood up, stiffening a little as a shot of pain traveled up her spine. She stepped around the table, crossing her arms, "Not a talker, huh? Not one who likes the play with the other kids?"

Silence was her answer as she stepped behind him, her eyes on the wall. She stood there for a moment, unmoving, gazing at the wall as the man sat in the chair, ignoring her. Jones and Barnes watched, not knowing what was going on.

BAM!

Without warning, Frankie spun around, her hand grabbing the back of the man's head and slamming his face into the unforgiving wood. He howled in pain, his broken nose crunching in agony. Blood quickly spurted out, coating the tissues and puddling on the table.

"Oh look, you can talk." Frankie slid up beside him, bending down to his level, "Wanna try this again? What were you doing in that room?"

Blood dripping down his face, the man turned his head, dull eyes looking at the agent. He stuck the tip of his tongue out, licking at the pool of blood on his upper lip. Then, he laughed.

It started as a low chuckle, growing until it was a full-blow hysterical laugh. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he gasped for air, the eery noise filling the room.

Frankie took all this in, watching him from her crouched position. After a few minutes, his chuckles died down, a sigh escaping his lips. His head lolled back, his face turning to the side as an emotionless grin spread lazily across his face.

Frankie met his gaze, not moving a muscle.

SMACK!

Her fist collided with his mouth. His head whipped to the side, blood flying from his lip. Frankie, now standing, grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at her. Her voice was deathly calm as she talked.

"You think this is funny? Going after little girls?"

He smiled again, blood staining his yellow teeth.

"You like this, don't you? Getting smacked around. 'Cause I can go all day."

She pushed his face away. Another fist came out, catching his cheek. She grabbed the front of his shirt, dragging his face down to the table. She placed her forearm on the back of his head, driving it into the furniture. She leaned down, his ear hearing the low whispers.

"You think you're tough? You don't know what you did. Those two girls...you picked the wrong ones to go after. I promise you, I will fucking kill you before you touch them. So, you better tell me your story, or I'll make it so even your whore of a mother can't recognize you."

The agent stood up, throwing the man back against the seat by his hair. She stood there, waiting. He sat there, unmoving as that stupid smile graced his face. Frankie clenched her jaw, walking back towards her chair, her back turned to the man.

His voice stopped her, "You think you know."

She turned, her eyes pinning him in place, "Know what?"

He just chuckled, "You think you know. You don't know. You don't know."

"Know what?"

"Only they know. Only they know."

Frankie was in front of him, the chair pulled to face her, "Who knows?"

He stared at her, his face covered in blood, "You can't stop them."

"Stop who, damn it?"

His grin only grew, "I'm gonna dance on your grave."

Frankie blinked, the last sentence giving her pause. "Who are you talking about?"

The man must have decided he had said enough, because he looked away from her, his distant stare once again focused on the table. Sighing, Frankie walked away from him, giving the other two agents their orders as she left the room, "Keep him locked up. When it's safe, get him the hell out of here. I want him in a cell."

Exiting the room, Frankie closed the door behind her, her eyes immediately closing in exhaustion. She rubbed at them, trying to stave off the oncoming headache. She hadn't slept since before the family departed for the chateau, and according to the clock she had passed by earlier, the sun should have already risen for a new day.

Leaning back against the wall, she rolled her shoulders, the ache in her back still painfully present. With a deep breath, she pushed off, her feet tiredly moving down the passageway. At the entrance to the stairwell, Johnson met her, a scribble filled pad of paper clutched in his hands.

"Agent Stone, we tried to find out who he is, but haven't been successful, yet. He didn't have any ID on him, and we can't access the database from here."

"What about the staff? There's no way he could have found them on his own. This place is too big for a complete stranger to break-in and find those kids. Only the staff and the parents knew where they were."

"We already checked the staff before the party, ma'am. They all came back clean."

"Check them again."

"There's nothing there, ma'am."

"Johnson," began Frankie through clenched teeth, "are you telling me we know nothing? We, the FBI, don't know anything? What? Did you even go to the academy? Learn how to solve a crime? Or did you see the shirts they sell on the streets that say female body inspector and think that's what FBI really stands for?"

"Agent Stone, we're trying our best."

Frankie rubbed a hand over her face, "As soon as possible, I want you all to get back to headquarters, Find out as much as you can. He is working with someone. He couldn't have gotten to those kids alone, and he said something about a 'they'. I want to know who 'they' is."

Johnson nodded his head before hurrying off towards the room. Alone, Frankie took a step towards the stairs when her phone vibrated in her pocket. Pulling it out, she flipped it open to see it was Luke.

"How the hell does this get reception down here?" she wondered as she answered the call, "Stone."

"Stone, where the hell are you?"

"Good morning to you too, Luke." sarcasm dripped from her words.

"Don't get smart with me, Stone. You've been ignoring my calls. You haven't come back yet, even though you were ordered to."

"Yeah yeah," she interrupted, "I get it. I've been a bad little agent."

"This isn't a game! You're ass is in so much hot water..."

"I could use a shower." Frankie cut in again.

"SHUT UP, STONE! Shut that smart mouth of yours and listen for once in your goddamn life. You are this close to being fired. Do you hear me? You have messed up one too many times."

"You can fire me later, Luke. This case isn't over."

"Stone..."

"Someone tried to kidnap Miranda Montgomery, possibly her sister too, we're not sure."

Luke took a few seconds before answering, "What?"

"At the Cambias Halloween party last night, I caught a man in their room who clearly had the intention of taking the kid."

"Where is he now?"

Frankie leaned a shoulder against the wall, "We have him. He isn't talking. No ID, nothing."

"You don't know anything?"

"Criminals aren't usually carrying around their birth certificates." Frankie snapped.

"Junior..."

"Ok, ok." she took a breath, "He said something about us not knowing and that they know. There's someone else behind this guy. He's a complete psycho, but someone is pulling the strings. He has help, but we don't know how much."

"How do you know it's connected?"

"I just...have a feeling."

"You need more than that."

"That's what kept us here and kept that kid from being taken."

"You sure that wasn't a different feeling?"

"I'll call you when we know more." Frankie flipped her phone shut.

* * *

The staff had prepared a scrumptious continental breakfast for the family. Fresh fruits were cut up, their bright colors dotting the tray. Cheeses were piled up next, a mixture of fresh cow and goat products along with soft and hard littered the silver. Finally, two big baskets full of pastries sat on the table, their sugary tops glistening in the sunlight.

The family filled their plates, Bianca helping Miranda fill hers with small bits of fruit and cheese along with the tempting pastries. Reese set Gabrielle in her lap, pointing to different fruits on her plate and trying to get the baby to say their names.

After helping Miranda to the table, Bianca grabbed a pastry and a cup of coffee before settling down at the table. She picked at the food, absently placing torn off slivers into her mouth as she flashed back to the party. After spotting Frankie talking with those three men, she hadn't seen the woman since. She was worried. Where was the agent? She couldn't have left...she wouldn't have. Bianca refused to believe Frankie would leave without saying goodbye.

"Mommy, I had weird dreams last night." Miranda spoke up.

Bianca looked over at her eldest daughter, grabbing a napkin and wiping at the milk moustache on the child's lip, "What did you dream about?"

Miranda shrugged, "Running."

"Running?"

"I was running."

Bianca reached out, gently combing her fingers through the girl's hair, "What were you running from?"

Miranda shrugged.

"Were you going somewhere?"

Miranda shrugged again, "I was jus' running."

Before Bianca could ask another question, Frankie entered the kitchen, bleary eyes zeroing in on the coffee. Bianca watched as the shorter woman stiffly walked over to the pot, pouring herself a cup and quickly sipping at the hot beverage. The agent was still dressed in the clothes she wore to the party. The white shirt was untucked, specks of dirty and something else on it. The jacket was askew, and the mask was completely missing. The rest of her ensemble looked rumpled.

"Late night?" Reese asked, bouncing the infant on her knees.

Frankie looked at her, offering a weak smile, "Something like that, Mrs. Williams." She, of course, refrained from asking if Reese had a late night.

"Frankie!" Miranda gleefully called out.

Frankie's countenance softened as she stepped over to the child, "Hey, kid."

"Are you gonna have breakfast?"

Frankie glanced down at the plate of food, "Nah. I got my coffee, I'm good. I'm actually going to go to my room for a bit, though."

"That's ok," Reese spoke up, "I was planning on taking the kids out for a walk around the grounds. You can catch a nap."

"Oh." Miranda's face fell.

"I'll see you later. You have fun with Reese." Frankie lightly tugged on the ends of Miranda's hair before looking over at Bianca.

"Morning."

"Good morning, Frankie." Bianca replied, her eyes boring into the agent.

She knew something was up, could feel it. Even though Frankie looked calm, something was rolling beneath the surface, humming underneath her skin. One thing Frankie had was a temper, and even though she tried to act like she didn't, Bianca knew it was there. Something was bothering the agent, and Bianca would bet money she had lost her temper. But about what?

Frankie raised her mug in a half-hearted salute. Then, she slowly walked away, a stiffness in her back evident to Bianca's watchful eye.

* * *

Frankie stumbled into her room, the past twenty-four hours taking its toll. She carefully placed her mug on the bedside table before she could potentially drop it. As she took off her jacket and moved towards the closet, intent on changing into a pair of jeans before checking in on her agents' progress, the sound of her door opening and closing reached her ears. Even with her back turned towards the door, she still knew who it was.

"Strip."

Frankie slowly spun around, her eyebrows raised as a smirk crossed her lips at Bianca's command.

"What?"

"Take off your shirt."

Frankie's smirk grew larger as she stared at the woman standing in front of the door, "If I knew donuts made you like this, I woulda bought out Dunkin Donuts years ago."

Bianca rolled her eyes, stalking into the room, "It's just like you to make some stupid joke."

"Hey, who's joking?" Frankie's eyes roved over the younger woman, taking in the shapely curves.

"Take it off, Frankie." Bianca shook her head.

"Getting fiesty are we? Wow, you have grown up."

"In more ways than one." Bianca stopped in front of her.

"Any particular reason you want this now?"

"You're hurt."

Frankie's smirk fell, "What?"

Bianca sighed, "You're hurt. You're stiff and you keep supporting your back. Let me look at it."

"Bianca," Frankie stepped back, "I'm not hurt. I'm fine."

"Just let me look at it."

"There's nothing to look at."

"And you're not fine."

"Bianca..." Frankie scratched at her scalp.

"If you're fine, why won't you let me look at your back?"

"Because."

"Because why?"

"What are you, five?" Frankie tried to walk away.

Bianca grabbed her from behind, hands lightly gripping the agent's shoulders. Along with a temper, Frankie was stubborn. Both Stones were. The most stubborn people on earth. Bianca knew Frankie would not let her look at her back willingly.

She had to try something else.

Lightly massaging the shoulders, Bianca slowly trailed a hand up the curve of the strong shoulder to a soft neck. Fingertips grazed the smooth skin, sliding around, knuckles whispering across the bottom of her chin before her fingers dragged down. Running over a clavicle, her fingers dipped into the hollow below the neck. Nails gently scratched at the skin. She felt Frankie gulp.

"Do you remember that night." Bianca whispered into her ear, lips brushing against the sensitive shell, "That night I came over. You called me and I dropped everything to be with you."

Frankie's head leaned back against her shoulder, her eyes unconsciously fluttering shut.

"You were so upset. You hugged me as soon as I walked through the door. I held you so close."

The hand carefully began to unbutton the shirt.

"Do you remember? Remember how you kissed me. We kissed, and I felt like I was going to explode."

Her fingers ghosted over the swell of her breasts, not straying from their path.

"We had such a connection that night. I stayed with you the whole night."

Her fingers slipped the last button through the hole and pushed the shirt open. Pulling back, Bianca slid the shirt off of Frankie's shoulders and down her arms, revealing her back.

Frankie's eyes shot open at the gasp, her muddled mind waking up. "It's not as bad as it looks." she quickly got out, fingers pinching the bridge of her nose.

Bianca's hand covered her mouth, her eyes wide in horror. Frankie's entire back was discolored, purple and blue bruises swirling together to form an almost black montage.

Frankie rapidly shrugged her shirt back on, shaky fingers fumbling with the buttons. "It's not that bad."

"Someone hurt you." Bianca finally spoke, frantic eyes searching for Frankie's.

"It's not like that. It's nothing."

"It's not nothing. Someone hurt you. Your...your back..."

"Is fine." Frankie cut off, finally getting her shirt buttoned, "I'm fine. No one hurt me. I just...fell down again."

Blinking back tears, Bianca couldn't help it, "God, it's like Jonathon all over again."

Frankie short her a confused look, "Who's Jonathon?"


	24. Chapter 22

_Bianca was sitting in the hospital bed, happier than she had been in a long long time. She had Miranda back, her precious daughter she had thought lost forever. Her best friend Maggie was visiting, and had presented her with a stuffed toy horse for Miranda, a gift the small child was sure to cherish. It was looking like 2005 was going to be a good year._

_Anita, a friend and one of the doctors, had walked into the room, needing to perform a few tests. Maggie had decided to leave the two alone, taking the new toy in to Miranda._

"_Jonathon is not with her, right?" asked Anita as she prepared to take Bianca's blood pressure._

"_No. I guess he must be at work."_

"_But they're still together?"_

"_I think so. She said everything's great. Why?"_

"_You know Maggie pretty well, right?" Anita deftly avoided the question._

"_Yeah. She's my best friend. I mean, at least until Jonathon came along." Bianca noticed the look on the doctor's face, "Something's wrong. Anita, please tell me. I care about Maggie so much."_

_Anita sighed, "New Year's Eve at SOS...she...she had this bruise on her face. I thought maybe..."_

"_What? Jonathon?"_

"_She had another explanation, insisting on how clumsy she is."_

"_Well, that doesn't mean that wasn't true." Bianca couldn't believe her best friend would be…could be hurt._

* * *

"_Anita mentioned your bruise. Did you hit your face on something?"_

"_Yes, I whacked it. Ok, I was at the gym. I opened up a locker door, and I walked right…"_

* * *

"_Maggie, I called him over here because I wanted to know how you really got that bruise."_

"_I told you how I got that bruise, and you just wouldn't let it go."_

"_Well, I'm glad I didn't because Jonathon ended up nodding to a completely different story than the one you told me. You lied to me, Maggie, and then he lied to me again. I know he hit you."_

* * *

"_Do you hear yourself? You sound all sanctimonious. I mean, you're making my boyfriend sound like he's some sort of criminal."_

"_He hurt you Maggie, and he could hurt you again."_

"_It will never happen again!"_

"_He did it. He hit you."_

"Bianca, who is Jonathon?"

Bianca snapped out of her memories, wild eyes settling on Frankie's confused face. She took in a shuddering breath as Frankie stepped closer, a hand rising up to cover her mouth.

"Hey, it's fine. I'm fine." Frankie soothed, gently gripping Bianca's arm. "What's wrong?"

Bianca shook her head, "You...it's just...your hurt."

"It's just a bruise. You know how I keep falling on my back..."

"No!" Bianca cut her off, "Don't say that. It's not true."

"Whoa," Frankie let go of her arm, raising both hands in a placating gesture, "calm down. It's ok."

"No it's not, Frankie. Someone hurt you. Who was it?"

"Bianca..."

"Who was it?" Bianca stared into Frankie's eyes, intensely searching the brown orbs.

Frankie narrowed her eyes at the other woman's response. "Did somebody hurt you, Bianca? Did this Jonathon...did he hurt you?"

Bianca stared at her, not answering. She hadn't even heard the question. Her mind was too jumbled, trying to think of who could possibly have hurt the agent.

Frankie's eyes widened, her heart racing. Someone had hurt Bianca? She racked her brain. No Jonathon had been mentioned in the file...but things did slip past the bureau.

"Bianca, what did he do to you? How did he hurt you? Did he hit you?"

Silence met her questions, causing panic to fill the older woman.

"Did he hit you? He did, didn't he." Frankie was breathing hard, her fingers twitching. "Who is he? I'll kill him. I won't let him hurt you, again. I swear, I won't."

Feeling the anger and fear rolling off the agent, Bianca came out of her thoughts, unable to identify anyone who would hurt the woman. "What?"

"Is he in Pine Valley? Is he there?"

Bianca took in the visibly upset woman, "Who?"

"Jonathon! The guy who hit you. Is he there?"

"Frankie..."

"I'll make sure he never comes near you or the girls again. I promise, Bianca. I'll take care of this."

Finally, she understood, "No, Frankie..."

The agent was already moving towards the door, her cellphone out in her hands.

"Frankie, wait."

The short brunette was dialing a number, her fingers jerking with every movement, "I'm sorry Bianca...I didn't...I didn't know. But I'll stop him. I'll take care of it."

As she raised the phone to her ear, Bianca's voice shouted across the room, "He didn't hit me!"

Frankie lowered the phone, absently closing it as she slowly turned to face her, "What?"

Bianca carefully walked up to her, "Jonathon didn't hit me."

"But then...who?"

Bianca bit at her lip, lowering her eyes.

"Who? Who did he hit?"

"Frankie..."

"Please, tell me. Tell me who."

Bianca raised her eyes at the pleading tone, locking them with Frankie's worried browns.

"Bianca..."

"Maggie. He hit Maggie."

The room seemed to freeze. All that could be heard were the harsh breaths of the two women.

"He...he..." Frankie couldn't form the words. Someone had hit Maggie...her sister. Some man had hurt her sister. "I didn't...I couldn't...I...she..."

Bianca stepped up to the agent, softly grasping at shaking hands, "Shh. It's ok. She's ok, now. You couldn't have known."

Frankie's eyes darted around, "But I...I should have..."

"There was nothing you could have done. She got out of it. She got away from him."

Frankie glanced up at Bianca, wet eyes letting her vulnerability seep through, "She's my sister."

Bianca swallowed a sob as she pulled the agent into a hug, wrapping her arms tightly around her. She buried her face into Frankie's neck. A hand slid up to the back of Frankie's neck, massaging the tense muscles there. She knew the sisters hadn't seen each other for close to twelve years, and before that they hadn't spoken much. Maggie always talked about how they didn't have that 'twin' bond, and Frankie had never even mentioned a sister during her brief time in Pine Valley. But Bianca knew, deep down, that the two cared about each other, loved each other. They were sisters.

Frankie gulped in air and pushed back from the embrace, "He didn't...he didn't hurt you, did he? Maggie...did he..."

Bianca pressed their foreheads together, the arm around the agent's waist pulling her closer as the other hand stroked the fine hairs at the nape of her neck. "Shhh," she quietly whispered, "I'm ok. Maggie is ok. Everyone is ok. No one is hurt. We are all fine, baby."

"If I had stayed...I could have...I should have been there."

"Stop. Don't think like that."

"How should I think? I could have protected you. I could have...protected Maggie."

Bianca tilted her head, resting her lips against Frankie's temple, "You're protecting us, now."

"I should have been there." the agent sighed, taking comfort in the touch.

"Won't argue with you there. I wouldn't have minded having you around." Bianca smiled. The guilt in the agent's voice made her want to lighten the mood, steer the conversation away from the regret, if only for a moment.

"Yeah, I think your mom might have had something different to say. Hell, the entire town."

"Since when have you been scared about what other people think?"

"Scared? Me?"

"Of course, silly me. You're not scared of anything. You're superwoman." Bianca teased.

"I am so much cooler than superwoman. Dress better too."

Bianca chuckled as she brushed her lips across Frankie's forehead. She slipped a cool hand underneath the white button up shirt, tenderly running it across bruised flesh. "Are you ok?"

Frankie swallowed roughly at the touch, "Y-Yeah."

"Are you going to tell me, then?"

"Hmmm?" Frankie murmured, trembling as the hand rose higher.

"Who hurt you."

"I'm not...ahhh!" Frankie cringed as Bianca sharply pressed her palm into the darkened skin.

"You're hurt, Frankie. Please, tell me the truth. We've had enough lies between us. No more, please."

Frankie clenched her jaw, her back screaming in pain. "I'm fine."

"You're not fine. You can barely stand." Bianca replied, holding on to the agent as the shorter woman leaned forward, trying to take some weight off her aching back. She gingerly led the agent over to the bed, "Lie down. You need to rest."

"No, I don't." Frankie mumbled, exhaustion catching up with her again and mixing with the pain. She stumbled over to the bed, Bianca's caring arms helping her. She fell onto the bed, landing on her stomach as the welcoming mattress curved around her body.

"Let me take another look at your back." Bianca ignored her mumblings, tugging at the white shirt.

"You already looked at it...and freaked out. I'll never be able to strip for you again. It's ruined for life."

"I promise I won't freak out. Let me help take care of you."

Frankie gazed up at her with twinkling eyes, "You wanna play nurse? Told you, you should have worn the nurse's outfit."

Bianca rolled her eyes, nimble fingers reaching underneath the tired agent and undoing the buttons. "I bet you did this on purpose. Pretending to be hurt so I'll wear it."

"You caught me. It was my evil plan to get you into a sexy little outfit. Alas, all my work was for naught."

"Ok Shakespeare, try to relax." Bianca delicately peeled off the shirt, pursing her lips at the sight. Frankie's back was truly one huge bruise, a cornucopia of blues and purples.

"You want Shakespeare?" Frankie slurred, her eyes drooping. She could feel sleep creeping up, the younger woman's touch lulling her into a sense of comforting security.

"Later. Now, go to sleep."

"Stay?" Frankie sniffled, her breathing evening out.

Bianca smiled softly at her. She lightly ran her hand over reddened knuckles, threading their fingers together, "I'll be here when you wake up."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

* * *

Frankie woke up two hours later to a face full of pillow. She lightly stretched, her back tightening in protest at the movement. Turning her head so she could look at the clock on the bedside table, she felt a warm weight resting on her lower back. Confused, she carefully turned to glance at the other side of the bed.

Bianca was lying on her side, one arm tucked underneath her head while the other was flung across the agent's back. Her hair was slightly mussed, and a small grin played at the corners of her lips. Listening quietly, Frankie picked up on the deep even breaths coming from the other woman, indicating she was still asleep.

Frankie bit the inside of her cheek at the sight, unable to stop the burst of happiness that streaked through her heart. She had to get up, though. She needed to check on her agents, and someone could walk in at anytime. It would definitely be hard to explain why she was lying half-naked in a bed with her boss, a married mother.

Slowly, Frankie attempted to slid towards the edge of the bed. Sensing the movement, Bianca whimpered, her arm pulling at the leaving body. Frankie stilled, watching Bianca. The woman scrunched her eyes tightly, burrowing her head deeper into her arm as she scooted closer to the agent.

Taking a deep breath, Frankie softly whispered, "It's ok, Bianca'la. I'll be right back." She ran the back of her hand across a pale cheek, her thumb smoothing away the lines of stress and worry.

Bianca relaxed at the touch, her hold loosening enough for the agent to quickly scramble away. Biting back a groan, Frankie stood up. She ran a hand through her hair and hunted down her cellphone. Throwing on a clean green sleeveless t-shirt, she slipped out of the room.

* * *

Entering the library, the agent perused the room. Seeing no one in there, she quickly dialed her phone and held it up to her ear.

"Johnson, what's going on?"

"Agent Stone, we have returned to headquarters and are in the process of running his fingerprints through the database."

"Good. Let me know when you find out anything."

"Will do, ma'am."

"Oh, and Johnson."

"Yes?"

"Look into a Jonathon for me. He's from Pine Valley, might still be there. Might have a record of violence, especially towards women. Find him for me."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Let me know when you find something." Frankie hung up the phone, stuffing it into her pant's pocket.

Rubbing at her eyes, she ambled over to a bookcase and rested a shoulder against the polished wood.

"Frankie Stone in a library, who would have thought?"

Frankie turned around, raising an eyebrow, "I can read, you know."

"You're right. I should have said, who would have thought Frankie Stone would be in a library right now. Imagine my surprise when I woke up to an empty bed." Bianca walked into the room, arms crossed as a silly grin played at the corners of her lips.

"Taking advantage of me in my weakened state?"

"Only when you let me." Bianca stopped in front of the shorter brunette, a hint of worry in her eyes, "How is your back feeling?"

"Eh...I'll live." Frankie shrugged.

Bianca let it go, knowing she wasn't going to be able to get the agent to talk to her about it...at that moment. Now in front of the woman, she leaned against the bookcase, mimicking the girl's position.

"When are you leaving?"

She held her breath, not really wanting to hear the answer but needing to know. For a brief moment she had forgotten that the agent was leaving. But waking up to an empty bed, and empty room, knowing the agent had been there, Bianca couldn't pretend it wasn't happening anymore.

"I think I might hang around for a little while, actually."

Bianca blinked, feeling the grin spread across her face, "Really?"

"Yeah," Frankie shrugged, wincing slightly at the movement, "I like it here. Might as well hang around."

Noticing the wince, Bianca furrowed her brow, "Does this have to do with your back?"

"Bianca..."

"It does, doesn't it? Something happened and..."

"And I'm staying. Why are you attacking me about this? I thought you'd be happy."

"I am. But I need you to tell me if something happened."

Frankie averted her eyes, avoiding the woman's imploring gaze.

"Frankie."

"What?"

"God, this is just like you. I don't know why I put up with this. Why you can't talk to me." She pushed off the bookcase.

"Wait," Frankie grasped at her hand, "I...something might have happened that influenced my decision to stay."

"Someone hurt you...attacked you."

"I'm fine, everything is fine. Don't worry. We have everything under control."

"When did it happen? You disappeared and then...you came back hurt." Bianca's mind was whirling, "You had a fight during the party."

"Ms. Moore...Bianca...hi. What are you two doing in here?" Reese entered the room, seeing her wife and the nanny huddled near a bookcase.

"Reese, we were just..." Bianca began, scrambling for an explanation that wasn't, 'I was finding out who attacked Frankie because her back looks battered. Oh, and I found that out after forcing her to strip off her shirt.'

"going over some of the books." Frankie finished for her, "I tend to like poetry, and there is a great collection here."

"Poetry? I never really got into that. I was drawing plans for high-rises during english class." Reese walked over to the duo with a friendly smile, "What poets do you like?"

"I'm not too picky."

Bianca watched with worried eyes as Reese scanned the books. She pulled out a small brown one, flipping through the pages. "What kind of poems do you like? Do you know any?"

"I guess...maybe one or two"

"That's great. Can you tell us one?"

The brunette shuffled her feet, her hands rooting around in her pockets for nonexistent cigarettes. Finally, Frankie nodded, her eyes flicking up to meet Bianca's.

"It is at moments after I have dreamed

of the rare entertainment of your eyes

when being fooled to fancy I have deemed

with your peculiar mouth my heart made wise

at moments when the glassy darkness holds

the genuine apparition of your smile

it was through tears always and silence molds

such strangeness as was mine a little while

moments when my once more illustrious arms

are filled with fascination, when my breast

wears the intolerant brightness of your charms

one pierced moment whiter than the rest

turning from the tremendous lie of sleep

I watch the roses of the day grow deep."

"Wow, that's was really good." Reese commended as she finished, putting the book back into its place.

Bianca gazed back at Frankie, shining eyes locked with the agent's. "Yeah...great."

Frankie shrugged, "Eh, it was nothing. I didn't write it."

"Memorizing poems like that...someone must be very lucky to have you reciting things like that to them."

"Nah...I'd be the lucky one."


	25. Chapter 23

"Mommy! Frankie!" gleefully cried Miranda as her tiny legs carried her into the library.

"Hi Miranda. How was your walk?" Bianca asked as she smiled at her daughter. The child skipped over to the adults with a giggle.

"We had a lot of fun, didn't we Miranda?" Reese wrapped an arm around her wife's waist.

Miranda nodded her head, glancing between the three, "Yeah. We walked around and looked at the trees and the birds. This place is really big."

"Oh? You must have walked a lot." Bianca playfully widened her eyes.

"Yep."

"Are you tired?"

Miranda looked at Frankie before raising her shoulders in a shrug. Bianca recognized the move and slid her eyes over towards the agent. Seeing the glance, Frankie inched a shoulder up and down, a smirk playing at the corner of her lips. Bianca rolled her eyes, causing the other woman to turn her head to hide the full-blown smirk.

"Yes she was, that's why I put her and Gabrielle in their room for a nap." Reese answered, a slight scolding tone coating the sentence.

Miranda shrugged again, "I wanted to see Mommy and Frankie. Besides, naps are for babies."

Reese opened her mouth, but Frankie spoke first, "Naps aren't for babies, kid. I was actually gonna take a nap right now."

"Really?" Miranda turned to solely face the woman.

Frankie ignored the irritated look coming from Reese, at being interrupted, and swept the giggling girl into her arms, fingers tickling her sides, "Yeah. How about we go check on your sister and catch some shut-eye?"

"Thank you, Frankie. Maybe if she gets some sleep she'll start doing what she's told." Reese stared at the laughing girl.

Bianca narrowed her eyes at her wife, "What?"

"It's nothing," Reese turned her attention to the tall brunette, "she's just been a little difficult today." She offered Bianca a grin and gave her a short peck on the lips.

"Eh, you know how kids are. Can't listen to parents all the time or they might grow up to not have their own thoughts." Frankie set the child on the ground, the tiny hand immediately shooting out and grasping the agent's.

"Pardon me?" Reese frowned at the shorter woman.

"It seems to me Miranda is a good kid, that's all. She's never been difficult."

"You're not always around," Reese pursed her lips, "and no offense, Ms. Moore, but I don't think the nanny should tell the mother how to be a parent. Don't tell me how to be with my children."

Frankie's eyes flashed, "Oh, but Mrs. Williams,"

"Ok...how about that nap. I think that sounds like a good idea, I might take one myself. Honey?" Bianca stepped between the two.

Reese looked at Frankie coldly before moving back, a tight smile on her face, "Sure sweetie, sounds great."

"Good. I'll meet you upstairs, I just have to check on something." Bianca kissed her cheek.

Reese nodded her head, slowly leaving the room with a backwards glance.

Once Reese was out of earshot, Bianca spun, pinning Frankie in place with hard brown eyes, "What was that?"

"What was what?"

Bianca angrily opened her mouth to respond, but caught sight of Miranda standing firmly at Frankie's side. "Miranda, baby, can you go over there and get a book for me to read?"

Miranda worriedly peered up at Frankie, who gave the kid a small smile and a wink. The little girl stomped over to the other side of the room, arms crossed as she grumbled to herself.

Bianca kept her focus on the agent. She harshly whispered, "Frankie, what are you doing? Are you trying to start a fight with Reese?"

"I wasn't trying to do anything. I just made a comment."

"About how she was treating Miranda."

"Sorry...maybe the _mother_ should have stepped in instead."

"She is her mother!" Bianca bit out.

Frankie blinked at her and clenched her jaw. "Right. My bad. I won't say anything next time."

Bianca sighed and rubbed at her forehead, "Frankie."

"No, it's cool. I got it. I'm just the nanny. Forgot my place for a second, won't happen again." she took a step towards Miranda.

"Stop, Frankie. Stop." Bianca caught her wrist and pulled her back.

Frankie let herself be tugged back. She let out a breath and shoved her hands into her pockets, a bored look crossing her face.

Bianca ran her hand up the bare arm, reaching around to cup a tanned cheek and direct the woman's eyes towards her own.

"She's allowed to discipline Miranda and talk to the kids like that. She's my wife."

Frankie closed her eyes at the pleading look, "I know. I know. I'm...I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. Just...I need you to understand. I need..." she trailed off, not knowing how to put what she was feeling into words.

Frankie gave her a crooked bittersweet smile, "You need to go upstairs with Reese and get some sleep. It's been a long day, and we're all tired. I'll take care of the kids. It's my job after all."

"Frankie..." Bianca felt a chill run through her as her throat constricted.

"It's ok." Frankie swallowed hard, clenching her fists in her pockets as she gathered courage. Taking a deep breath, she surged upward and placed her lips on Bianca's forehead, her hands coming up to grasp lightly at her jaw. "It's ok. I get it. I understand."

Bianca choked back a sob, relishing in the gentle kiss. She brought her hands up and wrapped her fingers around Frankie's wrists, holding them in place. After a minute, Frankie finally tore her lips away, brushing a kiss on Bianca's cheek as she pulled away, "I did the right thing once, I can do it again. I can do this, again. I can let you go."

A tiny sob broke past Bianca's lips. She covered her mouth, her other hand refusing to let go of the agent's wrist.

"Mommy? I found a book." Miranda's tiny voice spoke up. She cradled the book in her arms confused and sad, not understanding the tension in the room, but knowing something bad was happening.

"That's...that's great, honey. Set it down right there, I'll get it in a second." Bianca coughed out, trying to hide her teary brown orbs.

"Hey kid," Frankie plastered a smile on her face, "why don't we go get that shut-eye now?"

Miranda nodded and wrapped her arms around her mother's waist in a short hug, "It's ok Mommy, I promise."

All Bianca could do was brush her fingers through the child's silky brown hair, using all her energy to hold in the tears. After a few moments, Miranda unwound her arms and grabbed Frankie's hand, slowly walking out of the room.

The moment she was alone, Bianca collapsed against the bookcase, cries slipping past her shaking fingers. This was the right thing to do, this couldn't go on anymore. She was married. She had kids, a life. Nothing could change that, not even some beautifully gentle FBI agent who could recite poetry at the drop of a hat. Not even some woman who her children adored. Not even the girl who made her heart skip a beat with a look when she was seventeen and made her heart stop with a smile when she was twenty-five.

* * *

"Mommy was crying." Miranda trudged up the stairs with Frankie.

"Yeah well, it happens." Frankie grit her teeth, trying to feel as if her world wasn't falling apart at the seams.

"No. You said you don't like Mommy crying." the child stopped moving, her hands falling to her hips.

"Kid." Frankie took a calming breath, desperate for a smoke, "sometimes things happen and people get sad. That's just the way the world is. You can't do anything about it."

"Why?"

"Because life isn't nice or fair. The world doesn't care what you want or need or feel."

Miranda squinted, taking in what her best friend was saying. "The world is stupid."

"Yeah, yeah it is."

Miranda nodded and began to walk, making her way down the hallways and to her room. Frankie followed behind, the past few hours playing in her head. She unconsciously helped Miranda into bed, tucking the blankets in around her while she scanned the room for anything out of place. Once she had the little girl safely in bed, she stepped over to the crib. Peering inside, she spotted a sleeping Gabrielle. She pulled her carefully out of the crib, making sure not to wake her as she cradled her in her arms.

Moving over to the window, she slowly rocked the infant in her arms, "Hey there. Sleeping huh? Must be nice. You shouldn't be by yourself like that though, makes me nervous. How about you stick with me or your moms? Being alone is overrated, anyways."

She shifted her feet, taking in the scenery before focusing back on the tiny girl. "Know what? I'm an idiot. Surprising, right? I keep messing everything up. My whole life, all I've been is a screw-up. But there have been some good people in my life, and all I do is hurt them. But I don't want to. I don't know how to stop, though."

Gabby gurgled, her little eyes sleepily blinking open.

"Do you think I'm doing the right thing? I'm not good for you guys. I know I'm not. I never want to ruin what you have."

Gabby, eyes finally open, giggled, her chubby hands waving and clutching at the green shirt. Frankie couldn't help but grin.

"Can't ruin perfection though, right. 'Cause you and your sister and your mom, you guys are pretty near perfect. Even if your mom refuses to listen to me most of the time."

The two stayed by the window for close to a half an hour. Gabby amused herself with the adult's shirt and the bright sunlight. Frankie worked through her thoughts, using any technique possible to get rid of her emotions and temper. Finally, she walked back to the crib, laying the infant gently down onto the soft surface. Pressing a finger to her lips, she touched the tip to the baby's head, "I promise I'll protect you guys, no matter what. If I do nothing else, I'll do that."

She then stepped over to Miranda's bed. She placed a warm hand on the drowsy girl's shoulder. The girl blinked at Frankie as the agent crouched beside her.

"Hey kid. Wanted to tell you sweet dreams, and that stuff I said earlier about the world...forget it, ok? I was upset and said stupid things. It's not true."

Miranda yawned, "I know."

* * *

The rest of the weekend was spent separated. Frankie rarely ever left the two children's sides. Bianca was always with Reese. The few times they ran into each other, over a meal or in the hall, they would exchange pained glances and tight smiles. Sunday evening arrived, though, and the family packed up to head back to Paris. Frankie rode back to the apartment with them, Miranda and Gabby in one car and Reese and Bianca in the other. When they reached the building, Frankie helped the children into the apartment before bidding them goodbye, citing a need to check on her own residence.

Frankie entered the office, her jacket already halfway off two steps towards her door, "Johnson, tell me what we know. Taylor, get everyone assembled here in five minutes. Jones, get me a coffee and some damn cigarettes!"

Everyone jumped to their feet, rushing around as Frankie entered her personal office. She tossed her jacket on a chair and flopped into the other behind her desk. Johnson scurried in behind her, folders in his hands.

"Agent Stone, we have identified the man apprehended on Halloween evening. His name is Drake Curtis. He is twenty-two years old originally from Charlotte, North Carolina."

Johnson placed a folder down on the desk, which Frankie promptly opened and scanned.

"He was a student at Duke University studying Art History. He took a study abroad trip and never returned home. There were allegations that he..."

"Was a druggie." Frankie finished, taking a pen out and making notes in the margins of the papers, "That's why he acted the way he did when I talked with him. He was probably still high as a damn kite. I've seen people just like him. Let me guess, good kid by day, likes to party at night. Starts out small, thinking he's cool and next thing he knows he's robbing grandma's jewelery to get a hit."

Jones poked his head in, "Everyone is ready for you, ma'am. And here's your coffee."

Frankie stood up, taking the hot beverage from the rookie as she pushed out into the outer office. The rest of the small group sat around a desk, their attention turning to the lead agent.

"Alright, here's what we got. Some druggie got into the Cambias party and broke into the room of Gabrielle and Miranda Montgomery. This is a massive breach in security and could have ended with those two kids kidnapped and probably dead."

She scanned the group before continuing, "Here's the problems. He has no reason to be there. From these files he has no reason to even know what the hell Cambias is, who the family is, or even that he is in France. He's coked out of his mind and only cares about the next hit."

"He might have been going after money to pay for drugs." Jones raised his hand.

"Could have. I guess any druggie would go out to a chateau miles from anything resembling civilization. Especially since he has no car or way of getting out there. Oh, and he would go after kids instead of the cash." Frankie sarcastically responded.

"So what?" Taylor called out.

"So what? So what we have is a guy who for every reason should not even be thinking about being there, but he is. He is taking actions towards kidnapping two kids. He is nothing but a homeless college drop-out with a drug addiction. Why would he be there doing that?"

The room was silent.

"Why?" Taylor finally broke the quiet.

"Jesus, did I get anyone with a brain?" Frankie mumbled before speaking louder, "Because someone told him to be there and to do that. He alluded to the fact that someone else is involved. He was able to enter a secured area. He found children who nobody knew were there. How? Because someone else is involved."

"So we have to find this other guy." Barnes concluded.

"Yeah, except we have no idea who to look for. Most likely the guy picked someone off the street who has no connection to him and who won't talk to us. This Drake guy is so messed up he probably thinks a dog told him to do it." Frankie rubbed at her nose.

"What do we do?" Jones asked.

Frankie sighed, "Keep this guy. We have to see if we can get anymore from him. We need to go over every piece of evidence we have since the moment we got to this country. Double check everything. And go over the staff again from the party. Go over the guests. I want to know anything you find."

With that, she turned on her heel and went back into her office. She dropped into her chair and sipped at her coffee, rereading the file on Curtis.

A soft knock sounded at her door, "Ma'am."

"Yeah, Jones?"

"Can I speak with you for a second?"

"Sure."

The door opened and he entered, softly closing it behind him. He cautiously approached the desk, chewing on his lip nervously.

"What is it, Jones? Did you get those smokes?"

"No...no ma'am. It...I was just..." he stammered.

Frankie sat back and crossed her arms, "What? Just say it."

"Ma'am...we cannot hold Mr. Curtis."

Her eyes narrowed, "What?"

Jones shuffled his feet, "We cannot hold him, ma'am. We don't have the authority."

Frankie stared at him, "Agent Jones, are you telling me you want to release the suspect?"

"No...well yes...but...we do not have jurisdiction here, ma'am. We are not allowed by law to even arrest him. We broke the law doing that!"

"Jones, do you know what could happen if we just let him go?"

Jones shook his head.

Frankie leaned forward, "If we let him go, and he is walking around Paris, he is going to be found. Those guys we don't know, are going to find him. They will find out the FBI is here, whether through him blabbing about it in a drug induced haze, or by one of us following him. Know what happens then?"

He shook his head again, uneasily.

"Then, they do exactly what they have been trying to do. Except, they'll know we're here. They'll plan for that. Right now, they don't know we're here. For all they know, this idiot got lost and is lying dead in a ditch somewhere with a needle in his arm. That's what we want. They know we're here, and we are at a disadvantage this group cannot overcome. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Jones swallowed, "Yes, ma'am. But, we can't do this. It's against the law."

"So, you want us to jeopardize this entire investigation and the safety of that family, so you don't have to break a law?"

Jones stayed quiet.

Frankie rubbed her hands hard across her face, "God damn it. Get out of my office."

Jones, stunned, didn't move.

"Go! Get out."

Finally, he flailed around, tripping over his feet as he exited. Frankie sat there for a moment, before abruptly standing up. She downed the rest of her coffee, burning the roof of her mouth, and snagged her jacket. Jones watched quietly as she stormed out of the office.

* * *

The agent walked down the street, sliding into the first market she saw and buying a pack of cigarettes. Making her way through the busy roads, she randomly entered a park. Gravel crunched under her shoes as she shuffled along, her mind whirling in thought.

"No hello? Are we not talking at all, anymore?"

Frankie turned her head to see Bianca sitting on a bench by herself, hands folded neatly in her lap as her long black coat hugged her body.

"If we weren't, we messed that up."

Bianca patted the spot next to her, indicating for the agent to sit down. Contemplating ignoring the gesture and moving on, Frankie silently cursed at herself and sat down. She took out the packet of cigarettes and smacked it against her palm.

"Don't even think about putting one of those things in your mouth." Bianca watched her.

"What should I put in my mouth then?"

Without missing a beat, Bianca retrieved a stick of gum from her purse and unwrapped it, shoving it into the other woman's mouth.

Chewing on the pink stick, "Not exactly what I had in mind."

"Oh, and what did you have in mind?"

Frankie smirked before catching herself, "What are we doing?"

"I don't know, but it doesn't feel wrong."

Frankie looked down at her feet, "If someone does the wrong thing for the right reason, is that bad?"

Bianca furrowed her brow and thought about what was said. "What happens if you do the right thing?"

"You could cause a lot of bad things to happen."

"Are you sure about that?"

"You can't be sure about anything, Bianca."

"Not anything?"

Frankie looked up at Bianca's raised eyebrows, "Of course...there are somethings. But...not with this." She focused back on her shoes, "I don't know what to do."

"What do you want to do?"

Frankie clasped her hands together, "I want to protect you."

She felt the younger woman lean into her, fingers lightly scratching the nape of her neck, "I know. No matter what, I know you'll protect us. And, I know you'll do what is best. I trust you."

They sat there quietly, Frankie thinking while Bianca offered silent support. A little while later, Frankie stood up. She shot Bianca a thankful grin before leaving.

* * *

Entering the office, Frankie almost ran into Stuart.

"Agent Stone, we were just about to visit Curtis."

"Good. When you get there, release him."

Everyone stopped moving at this order. Jones had a hopeful look on his face.

"What?" Stuart was confused.

"Release him. Take him outside of town to a little village somewhere, then let him go."

"But Agent Stone..."

"That's an order." Frankie sternly intoned before walking into her own office.

Johnson entered a few minutes later, a file in his hands. "Ma'am, this is that other thing you asked me for."

"Good, put it on the desk." Frankie ordered, not looking up from the file in front of her.

He dropped the manila folder onto the desk and left. Once the door closed, Frankie threw the papers on Drake Curtis to the side and snatched up the new folder. She quickly opened it and scanned the information.

Jonathon Lavery had been involved with her sister to the point of engagement. There were rumors that more than one woman had been beaten by him. She snorted when she read a brain tumor had been found and was determined to be the cause of his actions. Once the tumor was removed, he was a normal caring human being.

She flipped her phone open, ready to call in a favor, when it rang in her hand. Answering it, Frankie held it up to her ear.

"Hello."

"Frankie."

"Bianca?" Frankie held the phone closer.

"Hi...I was just thinking...about earlier."

"Yeah?"

"And...I meant what I said. About trusting you and knowing you'll do what's right."

"...thank you." Frankie paused for a moment before responding.

"And...I miss you."

Frankie bit the inside of her cheek and stayed quiet.

"I miss you, Frankie. I see you everyday, but we haven't really talked, and I miss you. I can't help it."

"Bianca, you said..."

"I know what I said. I know what you said. And maybe...maybe we just need to stop talking and just...be."

Frankie swallowed, "Be what?"

"Be us. Be what we are, whatever that is. Because what we are, I need that. I need you in my life. Can we...can we do that?"

Frankie ran a hand over Jonathon's folder before shoving it in a drawer and locking it, "I'll be there in twenty minutes."


	26. Chapter 24

Frankie was walking through the apartment door exactly fourteen minutes and twenty seconds later. As soon as she stepped across the threshold, Bianca was raising her arms, wanting to wrap them around the shorter woman. A tight smile crossed the agent's face as she sidestepped the gesture, hands finding their way into her pockets.

"Hey."

"Hey." Bianca replied cautiously, dropping her arms and closing the door.

Frankie moved further into the room, eyes roaming the area. Bianca sidled up behind her, hands nervously clasping together, "Reese is in the bedroom. It's been a long day and she needs to be up early tomorrow for work."

Frankie nodded, not turning around. She walked into the living room and silently plopped down onto the couch, her legs stretching out and crossing at the ankle. Bianca slowly followed, "Do you want something to drink? Can I get you anything?"

"A bottle of bourbon." Frankie muttered under her breath before shaking her head no. She crossed her arms and slouched further into the sofa. She felt the younger woman approach the plush piece of furniture. The agent kept her eyes forward, not acknowledging her.

"Are you ok?" worried brown eyes pleaded with Frankie.

A shrug, "I'm fine."

Bianca sighed, her fingers fidgeting, "I'm glad you came. I..."

"Why am I here?" Frankie interrupted her.

"You don't want to be here."

"I don't know, Bianca. I'm sitting in your living room with your wife a few rooms away, and she probably doesn't know I'm here. You can't do anything with me, and then you miss me. You want to talk, you don't want to talk."

"And your walls are up so high it doesn't matter anymore."

"My walls aren't up."

"No?"

Frankie ran a hand through her hair and stood up, "What do you want from me?"

Bianca stepped up to her, "I want you to calm down. I want to spend time with you. I want you in my life." She tangled their fingers together, "Please, Frankie. Don't shut me out."

An incredulous laugh escaped, "Do you know what you're asking me? Do you really?"

"I know that you came back to me. I never expected it." she squeezed their fingers, "I'm so happy, so happy that it happened, but I need time to figure it out. Please, don't shut me out, and don't let me go. Not yet."

Frankie bit the inside of her cheek and looked at their linked hands, "I'm sorry. It's late. I haven't had a cigarette in days. I'm trying. I am."

"I know you are, baby. I know you are." Bianca tugged on their joined hands and pulled her into a one-arm hug, "It's complicated. I just need time to figure everything out. You're so strong. Be strong for me a little longer."

"Mommy?"

Bianca pulled back, her body turning to see a sleepy-eyed Miranda standing a few feet away. A doll was in one hand while the other rubbed at her blinking eyes. Her face brightened when she spotted Frankie, though, and she scrambled over to the duo.

"Hey kiddo." Frankie caught the lunging child.

"What are you doing up, honey? It's way past your bedtime." Bianca ran a hand up a down her daughter's back, a tiny grin playing at her lips at the sight of the agent and the child.

"I was dreaming and woke up." Miranda answered her mother, attention focused on Frankie, "You were in it."

"I was huh? What were we doing? Egging someone's house?"

"No, silly. What's that?" confusion coated the tone.

"Frankie's joking. It's nothing you'll ever want to do." Bianca raised her eyebrows at the other woman.

Frankie winked at her and hefted the child further into her arms. Bianca rolled her eyes, but couldn't help the widening grin.

"You were there." Miranda repeated.

"Ok, Dorothy, was your mom there too?"

"No, just you. We were home, but it looked different." Miranda furrowed her brows as she remembered the dream, "Your hair was long. You had a lot of big books. You dropped them and picked me up and swung me around. You called me munchie. You asked how your little munchkin was. Why did you call me that? I'm kid, not munchie."

Bianca gasped, a hand coming up to her mouth. Frankie stoically took in what the child was saying. "I don't think that was me, kiddo."

"Then who was it? She looked like you."

"Um...how about you go back to sleep. It's late, and we don't want you sleeping all day tomorrow." Frankie began walking towards the hallway.

Bianca watched them leave, unable to move. Was this really happening? It had been so long since Miranda had asked about Maggie. The other Stone was no longer a part of their lives. But that dream was pure Maggie. She always had her textbooks with her. She was studying every free moment she could. And she called Miranda munchkin. It was her nickname for the small girl.

Frankie entered the living room, "She's back in bed, and I checked on Gabby. Both are sleeping, now. Didn't check on Reese, though. Figured she was old enough to not need my help."

Bianca stared at her, a frown on her face. Frankie crossed her arms and shifted her weight from foot to foot, "Say it."

"She...she dreams about her." Bianca softly said, stunned at her own words.

"Yeah, seems so."

"Why?" Bianca's voice took on a childlike quality.

"Well...why wouldn't she? Listen, you two were all in love and stuff, right? She was a part of Miranda's life for a long time. You were going to have her adopt the kid." Frankie evenly spoke, keeping her own feelings locked up.

"No, she left us. She chose to not be a part of Miranda's life. It's been so long, and Miranda is so young..."

"When was the last time they saw each other?"

"Before Maggie left."

Frankie sighed, "Maybe they should see each other."

"What?"

"Clearly, Miranda remembers Maggie."

"She thinks it's you." Bianca cut in.

"That makes me feel better." Frankie mumbled before speaking up,"Does she? Or does she think I'm Maggie and just changed the name?"

"Frankie, you know Miranda loves you. Gabby too." Bianca reached out, but the agent leaned back from the searching fingertips.

"Why don't you let them see each other?"

"Maggie...she..."

"Did she want to see her? Did she ever say she did not want to be a part of Miranda's life?"

Bianca bit her lip and looked away from the hard stare, "No. She never said that."

"She wanted to be in her life, didn't she? What am I saying, of course she did. Who wouldn't want to be in that girl's life?"

"Why are you saying this?"

"Because everything points to the fact that Miranda and Maggie loved each other. And if someone loves a child, they shouldn't be kept from them. It's hard enough to find it...to be kept from it is crazy."

"You think I should let my ex, your sister, be in my daughter's life."

Frankie smiled bitterly at her words, "You should do what's best for the kid, whatever that is."

"She has Reese."

"You had your Uncle Jack. Does that mean you wouldn't want your father to be in your life after he and your mom divorced? Or your dad got remarried. Should he have kept you from your mom forever?"

"That's different. Maggie left. She chose to sleep with someone else. She didn't adopt Miranda. We were not married."

"Really? The Bianca I knew wouldn't stop a parent from seeing the child they love. No matter what."

Bianca tried not to think about when Babe kept her daughter from her, letting her think Miranda had died when the blonde had pretended the little Montgomery was her own child. Bianca wasn't like that. She would never put someone else through that.

"What are you? The voice of reason?" Bianca joked, rubbing her hands up and down her arms for comfort.

Frankie smirked, "Me? Voice of reason? Nah, just getting brownie points. Besides, when I mess up I can just say Maggie did it."

Bianca wrapped her arms around herself, "I'll talk to Reese about it."

"You'll be glad you did this. That whole doing the right thing...thing."

Bianca shuffled forward, "It's getting late. Can I see you tomorrow?"

"I'll be here at eight to pick-up the kids."

The mother nodded. As she passed by the agent, she stopped for a split-second. "Thank you."

"I didn't do anything."

"You're doing more than you think."

* * *

The brush lightly stroked across the canvas, leaving streaks of yellow in its wake. The soft bristles dipped back down into the pool of color, coating themselves and rising back up to the painting.

"How much for a painting?"

Ally grinned at an approaching Maggie, her eyes quickly returning to the sunrise before here. She adjusted on her stool and ran the brush over the miniature sun, filling in the circle. The canvas was covered with the bridge she was sitting on, the Seine running beneath as the sun rose to awaken the city.

The redhead bit her lip as she felt two warm arms wrap around her and block out the early morning cold. A styrofoam cup appeared in front of her as her girlfriend gently whispered in her ear, "Got you some tea."

Ally placed her brush in the small can of water at her feet and gratefully grasped the steaming cup. She wrapped both hands around it and leaned back into the embrace. Snuggling against Maggie, she felt the brunette kiss the shell of her ear then rest her chin on her shoulder.

"You're always distracting me." Ally murmured.

Maggie wriggled her eyebrows with a goofy grin, "A good distraction though, right?"

"A very good distraction." Ally tilted her head, kissing her jaw before capturing her lips. She wrapped an arm around her neck, pulling her closer as her tongue ran across a sweet candy lip, seeking entrance. Maggie's lips parted, allowing her tongue to sweep in. She gently touched the roof of her mouth, faintly feeling arms tighten around her.

They broke apart, gasping for air. "Let's go home." Maggie licked her lips.

"I need to finish my painting." Ally kissed her again.

"Come on," Maggie panted as they pulled apart, "Let me have my wicked way with you."

"Your wicked way?" Ally raised a teasing eyebrow.

"I'm a sex machine, baby."

Ally burst into laughter, "A machine, huh? More like a sex maniac."

"Either way, we should be having sex."

"Sex? You just want to have sex with me?" Ally pretended to turn back to her painting.

"No," Maggie tugged at her, "I want to make love to you."

Ally smiled and softly pecked her lips, "Well, what are you waiting for hotshot?"

Maggie swiftly pulled her off the stool, grabbing the small seat and can of water. Ally chuckled at her hurry and picked up the paints and canvas.

"What a romantic." Ally teased as the shorter woman impatiently headed towards their apartment.

Maggie slowed down a notch. Ally, making sure everything was packed away, lifted the canvas and paints under her right arm, her left hand finding the other woman's right.

They strolled down the walkway, their hands slightly swinging between them. A middle-aged couple passed by them with a nod, their young son walking backwards in front of them, French rapidly leaving his mouth in short bursts.

Ally's features softened at the sight. She tucked in closer to Maggie, "Do you ever think about having children?"

Maggie stumbled at the question, "W-What?"

"Do you ever think about having children? I know we haven't really talked about it, but I saw that little boy and," Ally explained before seeing Maggie's pale face, "honey, what's wrong? Are you ok?"

Maggie froze. She fought against the images entering her head. Against the memories of the little girl she hadn't seen in years. The child she had helped to raise, had thought of as her own. Two hands cupping her face directed her focus onto worried eyes.

"Maggie, honey, I didn't mean anything by it. We don't have to talk about children. I'm happy with where we are."

Maggie saw the flicker in her eyes, knowing that Ally wasn't being truthful. Of course she wanted children. Of course she would talk about it with her girlfriend. Taking a deep breath, she spoke "Ally, there's...there's something...someone...I'd like to tell you about. Someone I should have told you about a long time ago, but I didn't."

"Why didn't you?"

"I didn't know how. It hurts thinking about her, but it hurts not talking about her too."

"Who?"

Maggie lifted the corner of her lips, "Her name's Miranda."

* * *

"Morning, kid." Frankie entered the apartment, a cup of coffee in her hand. The little girl gave her a quick hello and took her hand, dragging her into the kitchen. They entered the brightly lit room to find Gabby happily bouncing in her seat, a sea of cheerios littering her table. Plates and glasses decorated the dining table, silverware shining in the light.

Bianca walked over with a plate of pancakes, the syrup bottle dangling from her finger. She offered the agent a soft smile and set the items in the middle of the table. Frankie looked at her, silently studying her features. The young woman looked tired. Dark circles were under her eyes, matching the same ones underneath the short brunette's. She was dressed casually, more casual than Frankie had seen since arriving in France. Her long dark hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail. An old purple and white t-shirt was paired with comfortable gray sweatpants. Her face was freshly scrubbed and make-up free. She looked beautiful.

"Mommy made pancakes." Miranda said while crawling onto her chair.

"Yeah, and they look fabulous." Frankie sat down as well.

"Fabulous?" Bianca quirked an eyebrow.

"How about absolutely deliciously fantastic looking? Better?"

Bianca took the final seat and reached over to place a pancake on her daughter's plate, "Much. It's a good thing you weren't being sarcastic."

"Me? Sarcastic? Never." Frankie drizzled a small amount of syrup on Miranda's pancake.

"Of course not. That's not your style." Bianca's voice took on a teasing tone as she snagged Frankie's plate and stacked some of the fluffy treats onto it.

"Oh? And what is my style, Ms. Montgomery?" Frankie dumped the syrup onto her food.

"One that will cause diabetes. That's enough syrup." Bianca gaped at the amount of sticky liquid the agent poured on her pancakes.

"What? Sugar's good for ya." Frankie winked at Miranda with a smirk.

"I bet the dentist loves you."

"Nah...not my type."

"You have a type?"

"Maybe...wanna know what it is?"

Bianca poked at her food, shyly pushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

Frankie set down her fork and leaned forward, "Soft smooth skin, an adorable smile, a kind heart. Mostly though, I'm a sucker for big brown eyes. Gets me every time."

"Frankie..." Bianca tried to hide her reddened cheeks.

"I can be crazy and stupid. I'm a liar. I lie a lot, and I might have lied about being able to let you go. You said you don't want me to, and I don't think I could if I wanted to. I should walk away from you and never look back...but I don't want to."

Bianca pressed her fingers against her forehead, the gold on her ring finger glittering. Frankie blinked at the shine, "Where's Reese?"

"She's at work." Miranda answered, a dribble of syrup creeping down her chin.

"Work? She goes there a lot, doesn't she?" Frankie glanced at the girl. Spotting the droplets on her chin, she balled up a napkin and wiped it away.

Miranda nodded her head, shoving another bite of pancake into her mouth. "She's busy. She's gone a lot."

Frankie reached out to wipe at her chin again, when her arm stopped.

Gone a lot.

_"No problem. Saving damsels in distress is part of my job. I'm just wondering where the wife is, since I think that's also what she's supposed to do."_

"_She saw a friend and went to talk with him."_

_"Lucky for you I was here. It must be your lucky day."_

"Frankie, are you ok?" Bianca looked worriedly at the agent. Miranda also looked confused at the hand inches from her face.

"I need to go." Frankie abruptly stood up.

"What? But...what's wrong?" Bianca was worried. They had been doing so well that morning. A major improvement over the tension last night. Frankie's walls were back down.

"Nothing...I just thought of something I need to do. Can you take care of the kids?" she was already out of the kitchen.

"Yes, but what's going on?" Bianca ran after her.

"It's ok. I need to check something." Frankie offered a reassuring grin before leaving the apartment.

* * *

"Where was Reese Williams?" Frankie burst into the office.

Everyone stopped what they were doing, staring at their boss as she ran into the room.

"When Drake Curtis was in the building, where was she?"

Johnson shuffled his papers while Stuart looked confused. Jones sat up straighter in his chair, if that was possible with his perfect posture, "Um...she was at the party, ma'am."

"Where? Did you see her?" Frankie's eyes were wild. She rushed over to the gaggle of agents.

"Well...it was busy...I saw her a few times..." Jones stuttered out, shrinking under the intense stare.

"What does this have to do with anything?" Taylor stood up.

Frankie shuffled through the folders in front of Johnson, pulling out the file on Reese Williams. She opened it, spreading the few papers across the surface of the desk.

"Reese Williams was talking with a friend and was out of sight for at least ten minutes. Around fifteen minutes later Drake Curtis is upstairs in the kids' room. He would need help accessing and finding them. She was gone at the exact perfect time to be that help."

"Wait a minute here. You're saying Williams is in on this?" Taylor scoffed.

"She was visiting a _friend_ at the best time to help him. She would know how to get to the kids, and would be able to get him past any person that might have run into them without any problems. That's what I'm saying."

Taylor laughed.

"You think this is funny?" Frankie narrowed her eyes at him.

"I can't believe it. I heard things, but this takes the cake."

"Agent Taylor, do you have a different theory?"

"Yeah, I do. My theory is that you want to bang the wife, so you go after Williams. We all saw you at that party."

"Watch your mouth." Frankie warned, her tone hardening.

"You watch it." Taylor stepped towards her, "It's so obvious what's going on here. You want to take Williams out of the equation so you can get it on with her chick."

"This is an investigation..."

"That you are manipulating for your own needs." Taylor cut her off. "The great Frankie Stone. The awesome undercover agent who got sent here because you were doing the same thing. You forged evidence and made stuff up to have the case go your way. Just like you are now!"

"You have no idea what you're talking about."

"It's true! The rumors. They all say you did it. You got in trouble, were pulled, and got sent here. You were an inch away from being fired. Now, you're doing it again."

"I'm doing my job."

"You're trying to pin this on someone so you can get some!"

"That's enough!" Frankie was breathing hard, anger shining in her eyes. "Agent Taylor, I am the lead agent on this case. I am your superior, and you will treat me as such. You will follow my orders. If you don't like it, find another job. Otherwise, shut the hell up and sit down!"

The room was silent, all eyes on Taylor. He glared at Frankie, his jaw clenched so tight veins bulged on his face. After a moment, he sat down with a snort of disdain.

"What...um...do you want us to do, boss?" Jones broke the silence.

Frankie took a calming breath, "I want to know everything about Reese Williams. I want full surveillance on her. I want someone following her at all times. Taylor, you were primary on her. Did she do anything suspicious?"

"No." he curtly answered.

"Ok, we need to follow her in case she does. Did we find anything when we searched her office when we got here?"

The room was quiet as the agents fidgeted.

"We...uh...didn't search her office, ma'am." Jones finally answered.

"What do you mean you didn't search the office?" Frankie's voice raised.

"She was a victim, not a suspect. We were protecting her." Taylor explained.

"Damn it. We never checked the damn office." Frankie mumbled as she ripped open a drawer and pulled out a small flashlight. She jogged into her office and opened the locked drawer in her desk. She lifted Jonathon's folder and grabbed the small box underneath, shoving it into her pocket.

"Agent Stone, Director Michaels is on line one. More on Reese Williams will be faxed in two minutes." Johnson called into the small office.

"Damn it." Frankie sighed as she picked up the phone.

The phone call ended up lasting longer than she needed it to. After the phone call, the fax had arrived and needed her attention. Then the schedule on following Reese had to be negotiated. By the time Frankie had a free moment, it was already late.

She put on her coat, double checking that she had the box and flashlight in her pockets. Shoving a pair of gloves into her back pocket, she entered the outer office and made her way to the door.

"Where are you going?" Jones asked.

"To check the damn office."

* * *

It was dark, the moon high in the sky as Frankie slowly entered the office building housing the architect agency. She carefully made her way past the night guard, the sole occupant of the building, and into the elevator, pressing the button for the fourth floor. Creeping past the empty secretary's desk, she found the door leading to Reese's office. She pulled the gloves on and took out the flashlight. Clicking the button, a small beam illuminated the dark room. She checked the door knob. It was locked. She pulled out the box and flipped it open, revealing a few small metal sticks.

Placing the flashlight in her mouth, she knelt down, pointed the light at the lock, and picked up two of the sticks. With an ease she shouldn't posses, Frankie stuck the two sticks into the hole of the lock and pressed them around. A few seconds later, a small click sounded. She put the sticks back in the box, put it in her pocket, and grabbed the flashlight from her mouth.

The door knob effortlessly twisted open, and the agent stood up. She slowly stepped into the room, the flashlight uncovering a modern style décor. Frankie immediately made her way over to the desk. She shined the light on the papers scattered across the surface, speed reading their contents. She turned the computer on, then started opening drawers.

The first drawer held a bunch of stray pencils and pens along with a stapler and tape. The second held neatly ordered files. Opening each one, she only found drawings and plans for new or existing buildings.

The computer finally booted up, and Frankie turned her attention to the screen. There was a box asking for a password. The agent silently cursed to herself. What the hell could the password be?

Bianca? No.

Reese? No.

Miranda? No.

Her birthday? No.

Gabrielle? No.

Damn it? Not that either.

Frankie sighed and scratched at her scalp. What could it be? Deciding to forgo the computer, for now, she turned back to the drawers. Going for the third drawer, she found it locked. She knelt down again and pulled out the box of tools.

A scratching sound.

Frankie froze.

Metal scraping against metal filled the quiet. A key was entering the lock.

Frankie ducked down, hiding fully behind the desk and turning off the flashlight.

The door knob turned. The door swung open.

Frankie held her breath.

Footsteps slowly entered the room. The lights remained turned off.

Frankie huddled in further against the desk.

The footsteps approached the desk. Frankie could make out large shoes. Men's shoes.

The shoes stopped. Silence.

Then, they turned picking up speed as they ran back towards the door.

"Shit." Frankie mumbled, scrambling to her feet. She ran after the person. Throwing open the door, she charged down the hallway. Seeing the stairwell door swing shut, she raced towards it. Slamming the metal door open, she flung herself down the noisy stairs, her feet clanging against the metal. Her shoulder slammed against the wall as she turned each corner.

Reaching the bottom, she burst out into the lobby and onto the street, ignoring the shocked night guard. Looking both ways, she saw a figure in the distance. Pushing her feet into the hard pavement, she sprinted down the sidewalk.

Cars zoomed past as she ran. Her arms pumped through the air, trying to give her more speed. Getting closer, the figure took shape. They were tall, dressed in dark clothes. A jacket whipped with the wind. Their hair was short.

The person quickly turned a corner. Frankie planted her foot and cut into the alley, her feet sliding on the slick concrete. Cardboard boxes flew backwards as the person blindly flung them at the agent. A metal shopping cart rolled back. Frankie dodged the cart, spinning to the left.

Reaching the end of the alley, Frankie found herself on a tiny side street, the lights of the city muting in the increasingly gritty area. Panting with exertion, she forced her legs to keep moving.

The person waved a hand around, an indecipherable object clutched in the grasp.

BANG!

A flash of light sparked as a gun went off. Frankie dove to the ground, twisting her body behind a trash can. Within a second her gun was out.

Another wild shot went off, deflecting against the side of a building. Frankie huddled behind the can. Waiting a second, she carefully peered from her hiding spot onto the dark street. Seeing nothing, she stood up and stepped out, gun pointed forward. Shuffling down the road, she cautiously checked every crevice and opening.

Nothing.

The person had gotten away.


	27. Chapter 25

The mid-morning sun shone in through the windows, mixing with the fluorescent lights to illuminate the area. The elevator dinged, and the doors opened. A small group of people rumbled off the lift. Frankie casually strolled behind them, her shiny black shoes clipping against the floor. She looked around, her eyes taking in the hallway and room. It looked different in the light.

Approaching what seemed to be the waiting room, the agent noticed most of the chairs were filled with suited men and women, all talking on their cellphones and scrolling through blackberries. She quietly hummed to herself, and walked into the center of the room. Rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet, she let her eyes roam.

Glancing up from her computer, the secretary saw the short brunette standing in the middle of the room. The woman was humming an indecipherable tune, her head turning back and forth as she looked around the room. The secretary noticed she was dressed in a sharp suit, every edge creased and her shoes freshly shined. Must be a new customer.

"Excuse me, may I help you?" she asked, drawing the lady's attention.

Startled, the brunette spun around to face her. Unreadable brown eyes stared at her from behind thin black frames. A teasing smirk tugged at pink lips as the woman strutted over to the desk. Arriving at the desk, the woman ran strong fingers lightly across the smooth marble surface.

"I hope so." the smirk firmly planted on the tanned face.

The secretary sat up straighter in her chair, "Are you here to see one of the architects?"

"Possibly. That's completely up to you, actually."

A confused look, "And how is that up to me Ms..."

"Oh I'm sorry, where are my manners. It's Dupres. And you are?" Frankie held out her hand.

Cautiously taking the hand, "Janice. My name is Janice."

"Hello Janice, it's lovely meeting you." Frankie gave the hand a quick squeeze before releasing it.

"How may I help you, Ms. Dupres?"

Frankie brought a finger up to rest against her lips. "You see Janice, I am entirely at your mercy."

Janice folded her hands together and shot the agent a curious look, "And why is that, Ms. Dupres?"

Frankie moved closer to the desk, her fingers coming down to land a few inches from Janice's clasped hands, "My mother is very dear to me. She's always dreamed of having a house out in the French countryside. My older brother has been too busy with his medical work to help make her dream come true. I love my mother very much, and only want to see her happy."

"And you want to build her dream home for her." Janice surmised, a surprised smile crossing her face, "That's very sweet of you."

"Is it? I guess so. I hadn't really thought of it that way. More just giving back something for all she's given me."

"Well, Ms. Dupres, we have the best architects in Paris here."

"I have heard that. I only want the best. This is a once in a lifetime chance to give her all she's ever dreamed of."

"Let me look at the calendar here, see what availability our architects have." Janice reached for the mouse and clicked.

"Actually, Janice," Frankie's hand crept over to cover the mouse and searching hand, "I've heard a lot of goods things about a...oh what's her name...it's like a candy, I think. Oh...I just had it. Babe? Ruth? Tootsie?"

"Reese Williams?"

"Yes," Frankie squeezed the hand beneath her own, "that's it. Reese Williams. Is she available?"

"Let me see here." Janice reluctantly moved her hand away from the brunette's. Clicking a few times, she frowned, "I'm sorry, but Ms. Williams is booked. She's booked for quite a while."

"Oh," a sadness enveloped Frankie's features, "is she? I've heard such good things about her. I was so excited to be able to meet with her. I just know she'd do justice to my mother's wish."

"You love your mother very much, don't you?"

"She's done so much for me. Taught me so much. I couldn't imagine not giving her this one thing. Money is no object, if that's the case."

Seeing the distressed look, Janice patted Frankie's hand, "Maybe I could move some people around. Get you a few minutes with her."

"Really? You would do that? I don't know what to say." Frankie brought her other hand up, excitedly adjusting her glasses.

Janice blushed at the the grateful gaze, "I can't promise you anything, but I'll try." She began typing, clicking the mouse every few moments.

"Being fully booked, that's great. She must be really good having so many people hiring her." Frankie spoke, absently tracing designs on the marble.

"Oh, she's one of the best." reassured Janice, "She's working with a lot of big names, actually. The other day, Marion Cotillard, the actress, was in here. But, you didn't hear that from me."

"Hear what?" Frankie winked.

A few more seconds passed before Frankie spoke again, "If she's so busy, does she have an assistant? Someone who helps her? There must be a lot of work."

"No, she doesn't. She likes to be very hands on. She controls the whole process, makes for less miscommunication and a better product."

"Oh, that makes sense." Frankie smiled on the outside but internally frowned. Who would have a key to that room? Hell, who would have a key and a gun?

Just then, loud muffled voices could be heard. Keeping her back to the room, Frankie tilted her head, seeing two figures out of the corner of her eye. Near the end of the line of office doors, she could just make out Reese, arguing with a man. She couldn't make out words, but both of their faces seemed to be covered with anger and frustration.

"Who's that?" Frankie nodded towards the duo, their voices now hushed.

"Oh, that's one of Mrs. Williams' clients. A very important project, or so I'm told. He's in here almost every other day. Now that I think about it, he's been here a lot more recently. The project must be nearing completion."

"Do you know what that project is?"

"No, she doesn't speak about her projects except with the client."

"Is he always so...upset?"

"Oh, no no. Certainly not. This is the first time I've seen him like this. No...wait...actually he came in very upset the day Ms. Williams got back from her short vacation. She went to a Halloween party with her family."

"Guess he didn't like her taking a break, huh?" Frankie chuckled.

"Guess not." Janice agreed.

The conversation between the man and Reese must have ended, because he began storming towards the elevator. Turning her head at the last second, Frankie quickly took in his features. He was rather short, probably around 5'4. His dark black hair was slicked back with a greasy looking texture. His skin was olive colored. He had on a dark all black suit, a gold wristwatch on his right arm.

He stomped past the agent and over to the elevator, repeatedly pushing the down button until the car appeared. Instantly he was on the lift, the doors shutting behind him.

Staring at the computer screen, Janice chewed on her bottom lip, trying to find an opening for the woman. There it was! If she just moved him there, and pushed this meeting back...there it was!

"Ms...Dupres?" Janice looked up to find no one there. Twisting her head, she eyed the room. The woman had disappeared.

* * *

Frankie flipped up the collar on her suit jacket, burrow in deeper against the bitter cold. The weather just kept getting colder and colder as time went on. She shoved her hands into her pockets, her feet treading lightly against the pavement. The sidewalks were busy, frantic businesspeople rushing to and from meetings, needing to meet deadlines and make crucial phone calls.

Up ahead, around twenty feet away, the man from the office was walking. He too was hunched over, unsuccessfully fighting against the cold wind. His hair only looked greasier in the bright full sunshine, Frankie noted. He walked with a slight limp. He was favoring his left leg. For a brief moment, Frankie pondered if this was the same man from last night. But there had been no limp, and this guy was too short.

Dodging through the crowd, Frankie kept him in sight, leaving enough space so he wouldn't suspect someone following him. He started to veer to the left, cutting through the sea of people and ducking into the metro entrance. The agent followed, jogging down the concrete steps.

He walked up to the gates, sliding his ticket through and pushing his way past the barriers. Frankie fumbled around in her pockets, producing an unused ticket after a few moments and quickly sliding through. Looking both ways, she saw him walking to the left. Keeping her distance, she found herself waiting by the tracks for a train.

Frankie milled around by the seats, pretending to read the advertisements on the brick wall while the man huddled near the tracks. Hearing the train approaching, Frankie casually stepped towards the tracks as well, staying a few feet behind the man.

The train pulled up and stopped, a rush of people leaving as the doors opened. A small group had gathered around Frankie and the man, causing the two crowds to converge at the entrance to the train. Casually pushing her way forward, Frankie bumped into the man.

"Sorry." she quickly muttered, earning a glare. Ignoring him, she boarded the train and made her way towards the front of the car. Plopping down into an orange plastic seat, she watched him out of the corner of her eye in the window. He stood near the door they had entered through, grasping the supports overhead.

As the doors closed and the train began to move, Frankie hunched her shoulders and reached into her jacket pocket. Carefully she pulled out the brown wallet, flipping it open with the flick of a wrist. The man's frowning face stared back at her. She scanned the license. His name was Parker Smith. Born in 1976, he was from New York, New York. She quickly memorized his address.

Picking through, she found a credit card with the same name, two hundred euros, and a business card showing him as the vice-president of real estate for Kubler Enterprises. Finding nothing else, Frankie glanced back into the window, the female voice announcing the next station. Mr. Smith turned towards the door, signaling he would be departing. Frankie stood up and made her way towards the same door. She sidled up behind him as the train reached the station. Smith pushed the button to open the door and slipped out, Frankie right behind him. Stepping around him, she reached out and dropped the wallet back into his blazer pocket, undetected.

* * *

"Files are in from DC." Johnson balanced the pile of papers and folders in his arms. Jones jumped up to help him, taking half the stack as he continued on, "Mr. Smith is not Mr. Smith."

"Then who is he?" Taylor asked, roughly taking the offered file from Jones.

Frankie hopped up onto a desk, a folder open on her lap. Her jacket was gone, the shirt unbuttoned to reveal a white beater underneath. She was chewing on a cigarette, the lighter poised in her hand. She had just gotten off the phone with Michaels, updating him on what had been happening while browsing Smith's information on the computer.

"Parker Smith is actually Andrew Carrington." she answered, flicking her thumb and bringing the small flame up to the white stick, "Parker Smith is a known alias."

"Ok, then who is Andrew Carrington?" Taylor crossed his arms, not opening the folder.

"Can't read, Taylor? The material too difficult for you? I'll have Johnson put in pictures next time." Frankie blew out a wisp of smoke before continuing. "Carrington is a known associate of the Goldsteins. He's basically their right hand guy."

"Who are they?" Taylor frowned at his superior.

Jones spoke up, "We talked about the Goldsteins in one of the classes at the academy. They're brothers, Samuel and Jeremy. They're really big in black market diamonds and illegal drugs. They basically are responsible for half of the world's illegal drug trading, at least."

"So what?"

"Well, you might get what, if you got your head outta your ass and listened to your colleague. Good job, Jones." Frankie sucked in another lungful of addiction. "There's a link now between one of the biggest smugglers in the world and Reese Williams."

"He's at her office. He could be building something."

"Could be. I guess people usually build places under fake names. They also tend to get into arguments right after a plan to kidnap two kids is disrupted and some guy with a gun is chased out of Reese's office. Totally normal." the sarcasm could not be mistaken.

"Then why? Why would he be there?"

"Good question, Taylor. You might have a brain, yet. The Goldsteins make their money illegally, but we can't trace it to them. That's why they're still out there when we know they are breaking the law. They run the money through various legal companies they own. How do we reconcile that with Reese Williams?"

The room was quiet as each agent thought. Frankie crushed the butt of her first cigarette against the desk and lit a new one. "Ok, let's start from the beginning. Why would someone want to kidnap Miranda Montgomery?"

"She's rich." Barnes answered immediately.

"What?" Taylor chuckled.

"No, he's right. Miranda Montgomery is one of the richest people in the world." Jones concurred.

"Just 'cause her mom runs Cambias Industries..."

"They're right. While Bianca Montgomery runs Cambias, she does so as proxy for her daughter. Miranda is a Cambias. She inherited the majority shares of the company through her grandfather and, subsequently, her father." Frankie broke in.

"So, they kidnap her and hold her for ransom?" Johnson threw in.

"They wouldn't do that. They don't need the little money they would get or the headache. They make billions smuggling. Smugglers aren't the same as kidnapers." Frankie shot down.

"What if they kidnapped her to get the company?" Jones asked.

Frankie narrowed her eyes in thought, "Get the company?"

"Yeah," he got excited at the idea, "They run the money through other companies, right? What if they wanted Cambias Industries?"

"Bianca would never sell her daughter's shares." Frankie mumbled.

"Yeah, so they kidnap her daughter to get her to do it. Force her hand."

"Except for duress. It would never hold up in court. When they got Miranda back they would file a lawsuit stating they were under duress when they sold the company, and they would get it back." Johnson explained.

"Or they would kill the kid and get put away for murder." Taylor callously added.

"Kill the kid." Frankie muttered, her mind whirling. "Oh my god."

"Boss?" Jones asked, hearing her.

"What if...Christ...what if they kill the kid? What if they kill Miranda?" Frankie's eyes widened as the terrifying plan took shape.

"Well, they'd go to jail for a long time." Taylor responded.

Frankie ignored him, jumping off the desk. She rushed over to Johnson, sifting through the mountain of papers in front of him.

"No. If Miranda dies, who gets the shares? Who gets the money?" She pulled out the folder she had been looking for and threw it open, the picture of a young baby staring back at her, "Gabrielle would get it. Her little sister."

"Wouldn't it go to the next Cambias?" Stuart queried.

"Zach Slater, Ms. Montgomery's brother-in-law, was the donor for Gabrielle. His real name is Alexander Cambias Jr. Gabrielle is a Cambias." Jones caught on.

"So, Bianca Williams is still the mother and would still be the proxy. She would still run the company." Taylor leaned back in his chair.

Frankie swallowed thickly, not wanting to go there, but knowing she had to. "What if Bianca Montgomery was killed as well?"

The room grew quiet.

"Reese Williams would become proxy as the other parent." Jones spoke softly, eyes wide.

Frankie spoke as if in a trance, the entire plan running threw her mind, "Reese Williams would be in control of Cambias and would be able to do anything with it, including selling it to the Goldsteins."

"No. No way." Taylor shook his head, "You're saying she'd kill her wife and daughter."

Frankie brought the cigarette up to her mouth, her hand shaking so badly she nearly dropped it, "If she is working with the Goldsteins, there's no telling what she could or would do. People will do anything for money."

"She's never given any indication she wanted to kill them. She's always been what you think a loving parent and wife is." Taylor refused to believe it.

"Miranda said she hasn't been spending as much time with her as before. Hasn't been as nice. She could be distancing herself from the kid, not wanting to be as attached because she knew the first part of the plan was going to happen. She was gone from the Cambias party during the opportune time to let Drake Curtis into the house and lead him to the room. A known associate of the Goldsteins has been visiting her office for who knows how long. He is angry after two incidents that mess with the plan." Frankie couldn't stop the dread crawling up her spine, leaving a cold chill in its wake.

"Where's proof? That's...that's all circumstantial. That won't hold up in court at all."

Frankie looked over her agents, "Get me proof."


	28. Chapter 26

The sun was out, bringing with it a much needed warmth that had been lacking for the past few weeks. The wind had died down considerably, aiding with the unusually warm afternoon. With not a cloud in the sky, many of Paris's fine citizens had opted to enjoy the welcome reprieve from the oncoming winter. The streets were packed, people of all shapes and sizes roaming about. The parks were filled with gleeful children running around while their joyful parents looked on.

Bianca sat straight up, her posture nearly perfect as she watched Miranda giggle with her friends. Gabrielle was dozing off in her stroller. Every once in a while her mother would reach over and gently push the stroller back and forth, rocking her daughter into a deeper more peaceful sleep. The tall brunette placed her large purse beside her on the hard bench, grateful that she was able to snag one to herself with the large crowds. She opened the bag and slipped out a book. It had been recommended by one of her vice-presidents, and she had been wanting to read it for quite some time. Flipping it open to the first page, she glanced up at her eldest child before delving into the, as Sara had put it, a mystery romance with a little action/adventure on the side.

Thoroughly engrossed in her reading, she didn't hear the footsteps approach her and stop a foot away. "Is this seat taken?"

Hearing the voice, Bianca peered up, using her hand to block out the sun. Frankie's grinning face shined down at her. Bianca quickly moved her purse to the ground and patted the now open spot. "Here. Sit."

Frankie dropped onto the bench and stretched, wiggling until she was in a comfortable position.

"Comfy?" Bianca raised an eyebrow playfully and closed her book.

"Eh...it'll do. Not as good as the benches in Chicago." she alluded to her days living on the streets.

"You like the benches in Chicago?"

"They're the most comfortable benches I've come across. I could sleep on those all day." her words were punctuated by a yawn.

"But you don't have to anymore." Bianca frowned at the exhausted features. She slid closer to the woman, wordlessly offering her shoulder as a pillow.

"Just 'cause I don't have to doesn't mean I don't want to. This bench isn't looking too bad." Frankie rubbed at her eyes and leaned into Bianca, their shoulders resting against each other. Blinking away the tiredness, the agent let her eyes wander, subtly checking every person in the area.

"Close your eyes and have a quick nap. I'm sure even FBI agents take breaks." Bianca nudged her shoulder.

"I'll take a break when the case is over." Frankie responded, unable to stop herself from leaning further into the warm body next to her.

"It's ok," Bianca spoke in a low soothing tone, "just a short nap. Rest your eyes."

"No. I'm fine. Just need some coffee." the agent's eyelids felt like concrete. They slowly lowered, her eyelashes flickering as her chocolate colored eyes disappeared from view.

Bianca listened carefully, noting the breathing of the shorter woman becoming deeper and slower as sleep overtook her. She raised a porcelain hand and tenderly pushed a short stray lock of brown hair away from those closed eyes and behind an ear. Securing the soft strand, her fingertips carefully traced down the shell of Frankie's ear and ghosted across her jaw. A certain fondness tugged at her lips as the agent snuggled in closer, a quiet whimper escaping pink parted lips.

A loud ringing filled the air, causing Bianca to jump in surprise. Her abrupt movement jostled the slumbering agent, and her eyes popped open. A hand immediately jammed into her jacket as her head was flung up, eyes quickly locating Miranda. Seeing the child was safe, her brown orbs shifted over to the mother. Bianca had her cellphone pressed to her ear.

"No...that's ok. I understand. I love you too...bye." she hung up, shooting the shorter woman an apologetic look.

"Reese not coming home?" Frankie guessed, pulling her hand away from her hidden service weapon.

"She has a meeting tonight and doesn't know when she'll get back." Bianca answered. She put the phone back in her purse and closed it.

"She's at work, then?" Frankie asked, even though she knew the answer. Both Taylor and Barnes were following the architect. They had been for about a week now, ever since the connection with Andrew Carrington and the Goldsteins had been established.

"Yes, like always." a hint of bitterness creeped into her words.

Frankie nodded her head. She folded her arms and slouched further back into the bench. Lightly scratching at her arm she casually asked, "You and Reese...you guys have been married what...about a year now?"

Bianca nodded in agreement, "Yes, about a year."

"Hmm...that's cool. One year...that's huge." Frankie brought her fingers up to fiddle with her necklace, "How did you two meet?"

Bianca glanced over at her, curious about why Frankie was going on about this, "Why?"

A shrug, "No big deal. I wanted to talk, that's all."

"You...talk. You never want to talk."

"Whatever. I just wanted to know about the woman who got you to walk down the aisle. She must be special."

Bianca studied the older woman's face. The agent sent her a genuine look.

"We...we met at the park." Bianca looked away from her, getting lost in the memories. "I was there with Miranda, and Miranda hit her with a ball. We went over to apologize and see if she was hurt. She's been in our lives ever since."

"Wow. Hitting people must be a Kane trait." Frankie teased.

Bianca rolled her eyes, "It wasn't the same thing."

"No way, mine was totally better. I got hit with a car. Car always trumps ball."

"You mean you didn't jump in front of it like my mother said you did?" Bianca mocked gasped.

"Nah, my crazy acrobatics weren't working that day."

Bianca chuckled, remembering how she first came across both her mother and Frankie Stone in the ER.

_Bianca worriedly raced into the hospital. She had heard that her mother had been in a car accident, and fear coursed through her body at the thought of losing her only remaining parent._

Bursting through the doors leading to the ER, she instantly spotted her mother. Ignoring the other occupants of the room, she called out "Mom!" and rushed over to her.

Her mother accepted her hug and asked her how she found out about what was going on. Bianca, seeing nothing was wrong with her mother, answered, "A cop just came to SOS and said you were in an accident."

"A cop? Mr. Stamp?" Erica, confused, looked over at her driver.

"Uh...they're gonna wanna talk to you, Ms. Kane." he reluctantly answered in his heavy New York accent.

"About what?"

"Uh, they need to file an accident report, and there are some facts they have to get straight."

"Well now isn't that insightful, thank you." Uncle Jack spoke up, hands on his hips.

Stamp leaned towards Erica, "Just don't be antagonistic, ok?"

"Well, what are they implying?" Erica eyed the police officers.

"Ms Kane, were you at a party at SOS prior to the incident?" the first cop asked.

"Yes, why?"

The cop glanced at Stamp, "Were you engaged in some sort of, uh, altercation at the bar with a man?"

Erica's eyes widened a little before she turned to Jack, "Jackson?"

"Officers...what, what, what is your point here?" he turned to the two cops.

The second officer spoke up, "We have an eyewitness account the Ms. Kane was in a very...volatile argument with this man." He gestured at Stamp. "And was in no condition to drive anywhere tonight. Is that an accurate description of the events, Ms. Kane?"

Bianca watched the proceedings, taking everything in. Her eyes bounced from the cops to Stamp to her mother and uncle. What was going on?

"Your eyewitness account is warped, officer." Erica's voice took on a tinge of attitude. She ignored Jack trying to calm her, "No Jack, I'm not going to be misjudged like this. Look, I was having an argument with a disgruntled employee. But that...that doesn't mean anything. I was perfectly capable of operating a car."

"Did you have anything to drink at the bar, Ms. Kane?" the first officer questioned.

A voice spoke up from behind Erica, "She was driving like she did."

Erica's voice echoed in the background, exclaiming she didn't drink. Bianca barely heard her. As her body turned, her eyes landed on a girl laying on a gurney. She had dirty blonde hair and striking brown eyes. Her clothes were rumpled and dirty. Even laying on the hospital gurney, she still exuded an air of confidence, an attitude. Bianca's eyes flickered from her brown eyes to a cute nose and perfect pink lips.

"People have been known to slip." the girl answered to her mother's declaration that she didn't drink.

Bianca sighed and pushed her way between her mother and the unknown girl. She stared at the girl, and couldn't stop. For a brief moment, their eyes locked and something ran through her body. She couldn't explain it. It was like a hot and cold chill mixed together ran up and down her spine. Butterflies, long dormant, erupted to life in her belly. The world seemed to slow down, if only for a moment. Their gaze broke and the girl glanced over at the scene going on behind the teenager. Bianca spun around to see what she was looking at.

"Yes, bring it on." Erica motioned towards the cops, "I'll probably break that breathalyzer thing, my breath is so clean."

"Are you for real" the girl scoffed. Everyone turned to look at her. Bianca, not knowing what had just happened, tried to forget about the feeling and focus on the discussion.

"I didn't say she was drinking. I said she was emotional." Stamp said.

"You told them that I am emotional?"

"You are emotional."

"So, all of a sudden that means I can't drive a car?"

"Hello!" the girl's voice rang out, "You almost emotionally drove me off the side of the road!"

"Ok, can you all stop being so obtuse people. I am the victim here. Not this...this." Erica pleaded with the cops.

The girl sat up in the gurney, a daring look on her face, "Pick a name. Any name."

"Con-artist!" Erica glared at her.

Frankie flopped back down, "Well, I wouldn't have picked that." 

Bianca was brought out her musings at Frankie's next question, "It must have been love at first sight or something. You were crazy in love with her right off the bat, huh?"

"I fell in love with her. She was...is...this great person. She's funny and smart...and she cares so much about me and the kids."

"So you decided to get married and have a kid, the whole Norman Rockwell family thing."

"We both wanted it."

"But you decided to have a kid way before you got married...even before you got engaged. How long were you two together before you decided to have Gabby?"

"A few months...why?"

"Nothing." Frankie felt the accusing stare.

"No...what are you getting at, Frankie?"

"It just," Frankie shrugged, " seems a little soon. To be having a kid. That's all."

"We were in love, it was the next step."

"I thought that was moving in together, getting engaged, and then getting married. But hey, what do I know." Frankie smiled self-deprecatingly. Before Bianca could respond, she asked another question, "Whose idea was it? To have Gabby?"

"We both wanted her." Bianca glanced down at her youngest.

"I don't doubt that. I was just wondering whose idea it was. Who first suggested it."

"Is this an interrogation?" Bianca sharply looked at the agent.

"No...this is me trying to learn about you and your wife. Sorry if I'm interested in your relationship." Frankie held her hands up.

"Why are you interested in our relationship?"

"Why wont you tell me whose idea it was?"

"Stop playing games with me, Frankie Stone."

"I'm not." Frankie lowered her hands and shoved them in her jacket pockets, "I just want to know about what kind of person you would marry. What makes you happy."

Bianca let out a breath, her words leaving. She ran her palm across her forehead, " I'm sorry. It's just, a lot happened with Reese, especially in Pine Valley, and it can be...hard to talk about."

"Hey, I know all about how difficult life can be made by Pine Valley. I even thought about writing a book, until I was reminded I was technically dead and therefore couldn't write it." she joked.

"Don't joke about that."

"What?"

"You dying. It's not funny."

"Ok ok...so are you gonna answer my question?"

Bianca sighed, "I'm not sure. We were talking one night, and it came up. We talked about it, and thought it was the right thing to do. Miranda loves having a little sister, and we love having her."

Frankie scooted over against the arm of the bench. "Ok, there's one thing I'm kinda confused about. Why did you use your brother-in-law as the donor instead of someone anonymous. I'm not a genius with sibling relationships, but even I know that's gonna cause some tension with your sister."

"Gabby needed to be related to Miranda."

Frankie curled into the bench, "Yeah, but she got that through you, right? I just don't get it."

"We talked about using an anonymous donor, but this way Miranda and Gabrielle are related."

"And you can cause even more drama in the drama capital of the world." Frankie muttered to herself. She raised her voice, "Whose idea was it to use him as the donor? Or did you two just randomly talk about that too?"

"I don't remember. Why does it matter?"

"It doesn't, I guess. Just curious."

"All that matters is that we have a beautiful baby girl in our lives." Bianca smiled down at Gabby and ran a finger down her cherub cheek.

"She is gorgeous." Frankie agreed.

Bianca glanced over to see a loving smile being directed at the both of them. She watched as a pensive look crossed the agent's face. She slid over towards Frankie and placed a warm hand on her leather clad arm, "What is it?"

"Nothing," Frankie bit her lips.

"Come on, tell me."

"How did you know she was the one?"

Bianca leaned back, her hand dropping from the woman's arm, "I...I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know? You married her. Had a kid with her."

"We met and she was great...really great. We love each other."

Frankie bit her lip hard, it was getting harder and harder to ignore the painful squeeze of her heart every time Bianca proclaimed their love. "You didn't care that she had only dated men? That she had previously been engaged to a man? That she never even showed a sign of being interested in women?"

"How do you know all this? Why do you know this?"

Frankie ignored her, "You didn't stop to think about the fact that she all of a sudden fell in love with a woman? That she even kissed your brother-in-law, the father of your child, the night before your wedding? You didn't care?"

"Stop it, Frankie."

She couldn't though, the words came tumbling out, "You jump into bed with some chick and decide you should have a kid? She must be a good lay."

"SHUT UP!" Bianca yelled, her face red with anger. Passersby glared at them, and she lowered her voice to a quiet seething, "Why are you talking like this? What gives you the right to attack my marriage like that?"

Frankie furiously ran a hand through her hair, knowing she had gone too far, but unable to help it, "I didn't mean to..."

"To what?" Bianca cut her off, "To attack my relationship? My decisions?"

"No, I..."

"What was it you meant to do, Frankie? What?"

"I want to protect you!" Frankie shot out, "I want...I want to know why you're married to her. You could do so much better."

"Like who?" Bianca wrapped her arms around herself.

Frankie sighed, "You were going to get an annulment. You even filed the papers to get it started. Why did you stop it?"

Bianca sniffed, "We love each other. We talked, and we decided to work through it."

"Work through it? Through her cheating on you?"

"She loves me."

"How do you know that?"

"She tells me. She shows me."

"How can you trust that?"

"Because I can. She's not a con-artist."

"Yeah? You sure? You know her well enough to know that?"

"I love her."

"Do you? Really?"

"Yes, I love her."

"How does she make you feel?"

"Frankie..." Bianca tightened her arms around herself.

"No, tell me how she makes you feel. Does she make you feel like you can't breathe every time you see her? Does she make your stomach clench and your heart flutter? Does she make you feel like you can do anything? Be anything? Does she make you feel like your the most important person in the world? "

Bianca stared at the agent, her throat tightening at her words.

"Come on, Bianca. When you're in her arms, do you never want to leave? Would you give everything just to see her smile at you? To hear her voice? Is that how she makes you feel? Is it?" A cool breeze blew across Frankie's face, ruffling her hair and causing her to catch her words. Eyes widening at what she had just said, Frankie ducked her head. A low cough sounded from her lips and she closed her eyes, willing the last few moments to vanish from memory.

The air was still, a silent bubble enveloping them against the noisy park. Bianca stared at the bowed head. Hesitantly she reached out and laid her palm on top of the silky locks, her fingers gliding through. She took a deep breath, afraid of answering. It could change everything.

"No."


	29. Chapter 27

"Agent Stone, have you made any progress?" Luke's deep voice echoed.

Frankie held the phone up to her ear as she stood behind her desk. Papers littered the wooden surface, a mixture of words and pictures staring back at her. Through the partially open door, the sounds of footsteps and chatter could be heard. Weary brown eyes scanned a report, quickly absorbing information on Reese Williams' previous engagement.

"Agent Stone?" he tried again after not receiving an answer.

Dropping the thin paper back to the desk, Frankie scouted around for another report, "I need more, Michaels."

"What do you mean you need more?"

Finding the report on the ex-fiance, Simon, she grabbed it and held it up, "What do you think? I need more. I need more information. I need more people. I need more!"

"What have you found out?"

"You know exactly what we have found out. There is a link between the Goldsteins and Reese Williams. There was an attempted attack on Miranda Montgomery."

"You mean there is a possible link between Williams and the Goldsteins, and there was a guy in Montgomery's room."

"What?" Frankie incredulously dropped the file, "You're using technicalities on me?"

"That's what the facts are showing, Stone."

"No, the facts are showing that something is going on here, something big, and you're using technicalities on me!"

"You need to use the proper terms, Stone."

"Sorry, I must have skipped that day. No wonder I didn't win the spelling bee."

"You need more information before you start making accusations."

"More information? Maybe if I had more support I could get more information."

"You have support, Stone. Don't say something you might regret." his voice took on a warning tone.

Frankie sighed and rubbed at her face. She felt like collapsing. Her entire body felt like shutting down for a few hours to re-energize, "I can't do this with what I have, Luke. There are hundreds of documents to go over. I have no idea what intel is even in them, if any. I need people investigating Williams. I need people protecting the Montgomerys. I need a bigger team."

"Why do you think it's Williams?" Luke spoke, continuing before Frankie could respond, "Besides the Carrington visit."

"She was gone at the opportune moment to allow Curtis, a drugged-out criminal, into the building and to Miranda's room. Someone with a gun had a key to her office and...oh yeah, he shot at me."

"Stone..." he warned again.

Another sigh, "Who do we always suspect first when something happens to a child? The parents. We always investigate the parents first."

"Then why aren't we looking into Bianca Montgomery?"

"She would never do something like that."

"How do you know?"

"She's not that kind of person. She's...she's too kind to ever think about hurting a child. She loves her daughter."

"Are you saying that because it's true or because you have...ulterior motives towards her?"

Frankie griped the phone tighter in her hand, her knuckles turning white, "Reese Williams has motivation. She can gain from this. Bianca would gain nothing."

"Junior, don't mess with me. Are you compromised with this? Are you unable to be impartial?"

"I can do my job, Luke. Everything is pointing towards Reese Williams as being involved in a plot aimed at Miranda Montgomery and Bianca Montgomery."

"How has Williams acted towards Miranda?"

"She's becoming more distant to the kid. She was nice and involved at the beginning, but has increasingly distanced herself."

"Has Bianca Williams ever been distant with her child for a period of time? Has she?"

Frankie bit the inside of her cheek as her eyes rolled skyward, "She was busy with work."

"Reese Williams isn't?"

"Maybe she is. Or maybe she's distancing herself because she's about to kill her. She acts all caring and great to work her way in and then stops when that part of the plan is over. She's already in, why play nice with someone who's gonna be dead soon?"

"Nice theory. Sounds like something a con-artist might come up with." he dryly said.

"She never showed any sign of being interested in women. She was even engaged to a man at one point. Than she meets Bianca, and within months they're having a kid? A kid who is a Cambias and will inherit the Cambias fortune and company if something were to happen to Miranda? A company and fortune she would oversee if Bianca disappeared? Connect the dots, Luke. Even you can play that game."

"And you think this is linked with the Goldsteins. Have they had any contact with Cambias before?"

Frankie looked up as her door squeaked farther open and Stuart popped through. He deposited an armful of folders on the already mountainous pile of papers and balanced a cup of coffee on top. He pointed at the top folder with an excited look before exiting. Picking up the mug and gulping the steaming caffeine, Frankie flipped the folder open...and smiled.

"Kubler Enterprises sent a representative to meet with Cambias Industries almost two years ago to discuss a possible merger or buyout. Cambias was working with them for a short period of time before the CEO put a stop to the proceedings. Bianca Montgomery halted all talks about buyouts or mergers for Cambias."

"Kubler Enterprises is the company Parker Smith works for." Michaels continued her train of thought.

"Smith, who is actually Andrew Carrington. A few months later what happens? Bianca Montgomery meets Reese Williams."

"Guess you do have some police work going on over there." he sounded almost proud.

Before she could respond, Johnson leaned in the doorway, a schedule in his hands, "Agent Stone, we need to get this set-up."

"Hang on, Luke." she sighed. Setting down the phone, she followed Johnson into the main office. He led her over to his desk and pushed a long twirling phone cord out of the way before throwing the schedule on the desk.

"Taylor and Barnes are still following Reese Williams. Jones is with Bianca Williams, Miranda Montgomery, and Gabrielle Montgomery. You will join him intermittently. Stuart and I are manning the phones and going through reports. Do you want to keep it this way?"

Frankie nodded, "Yes, exactly like that. Make sure no one is spotted. We cannot let anyone know we have a presence here." She glanced down at the schedule, her gaze tripping over two names, "Taylor and Barnes, have they found anything?"

"No, nothing new to report, ma'am."

"What is she doing?"

"Work."

"Is she meeting with a lot of clients?"

"Taylor and Barnes have reported that she has been speaking on her phone most of the time. She has only had two face-to-face client meetings."

Taking this in, Frankie turned away from the desk and sped back into her office. She slid around the desk and snagged the phone, "I need wiretaps."

"What?" Michaels was startled at the sudden request.

"I need to know what Reese Williams is talking about and to whom she is talking to."

"We can't just wiretap someone, Frankie."

"Since when?"

"Ha ha. You know as well as I do we need a search warrant for that. Which will be difficult to obtain since the phone is not under our jurisdiction."

"I need jurisdiction, too."

"I'll get right on that." he sarcastically replied.

"Come on, with the cooperation of the French government, you can get me jurisdiction here. I need to be able to perform my duties. I can't do that with my hands tied behind my back."

"Stone..."

"I can't legally arrest anyone. I can't legally search a premises or even charge someone with anything. I need to be able to do something."

"It'll take time, if we're even able to do it." his voice took on a resigned air.

"I can do this. I'm so close, Luke. I can feel it."

"You better be, junior. There are so many questions still. Not to mention...why did you request the files on the stalker case? Campolini closed that."

"I told you it is connected with this."

"How?"

"I don't know." Frankie reluctantly breathed out.

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "Be careful, junior. I'll try to get you some more agents. That place over there won't give up any of theirs, and they're a bunch of yahoos anyway. Just...get this closed."

"Don't I always?"

"Just get it done."

* * *

Frankie sucked in the last lungful of smoke before stomping the burning red embers with the bottom of her sneaker. Shoving her cold hands into her pockets, she used her shoulder to open the door to the apartment building. With dragging feet, she slumped towards the elevator and slowly made her way up, the bright numbers flashing at her as she passed by each floor. Arriving at the desired level, she stumbled out of the lift and down the hall, her shoulders hunched. Staggering to the apartment door, she leaned against the wall beside it. Tiredly, she raised a hand, her knuckles barely knocking against the barrier. Her hand dropped listlessly to her side and she tilted her head against the wall. A few moments later the puttering of feet could be heard. The click of a lock sounded and the doorknob turned.

"Frankie? Hey." Bianca smiled at the agent as she opened the door wider.

For the first time since leaving her earlier that day, Frankie felt a soothing calmness envelope her. She offered the woman a small smile and gracefully tumbled into the warm room. Bianca shot her a worried glance as she closed the door and twisted the lock.

"Kids asleep?" Frankie asked, her eyes roaming the room.

"Yes, it's late." Bianca motioned towards Frankie's coat, offering to take it.

"Oh," Frankie allowed the other woman to slide the garment from her shoulders.

Feeling the chill on the material, Bianca turned to put the coat in the tiny closet, "I see it got colder outside."

"Yeah."

"Do you...can I get you some coffee? You look even more exhausted than earlier."

"Thanks." Frankie dryly replied to the observation.

Bianca sighed as the agent wordlessly moved towards the living room. She watched as the shorter woman ambled over to the mantle and studied the pictures arranged there.

"Frankie?"

She watched as the agent ignored her and gently picked up one of the framed photos. Stepping closer, Bianca recognized it as one from her wedding day.

"I always knew you'd be a beautiful bride." Frankie quietly mumbled.

"What?" Bianca wasn't sure if she heard her correctly.

"Hmm? Nothing." she seemed to snap out of her daze and put the frame back in its place."Where's Reese?"

"Still at work." Bianca answered, concerned eyes locked on her.

"Oh, makes sense. Bet she's very busy."

Bianca watched as Frankie began to haphazardly rearrange the pictures, "Frankie, why are you here? Is something wrong?"

A humorless chuckle met her questions, "I don't know, Bianca. I really don't know."

"What don't you know?"

Frankie spun around and leaned back against the shelf. She opened her mouth to reply, but quickly closed it. She shook her head and looked down at her feet, "Nothing."

"No, it's something. Talk to me." Bianca walked over to her.

Frankie shook her head again. Bianca stepped in front of her, "Don't do that. Talk to me."

Frankie tilted her head lower, dodging Bianca's searching eyes. Letting out a breath, Bianca took a few steps back, "Fine, be like that. It's late, and I'm not playing games with you."

"Yeah right, " Frankie barked out with a bitter laugh, "You don't play games."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Bianca crossed her arms.

"You know exactly what it means!"

"No, I don't. Why don't you enlighten me, since you seem to know so much."

Frankie bit the inside of her cheek, a fist coming to cover her mouth with a whispered, "Damn it." Raising her voice slightly, so it was audible, she spoke, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that."

"Frankie..."

"I'm tired, and a lot's going on right now with work. I didn't meant to take it out on you." She turned back to the mantle, her fingers restlessly running between the picture frames.

"Don't shut yourself off from me. Be honest."

Frankie traced a fingertip down the glass of a frame, "About what?"

"Whatever you want. About what you meant. About why your trembling."

Frankie curled her fingers into a loose fist. "Honestly? I...I want you to dance with me."

"What?"

"Dance with me."

Bianca crossed her arms tighter, "You said you don't dance."

"I don't. But I'm half delirious, I'm more worried than I've ever been, and I...I need you in my arms."

Bianca gasped at the raw declaration, her heart pounding in her chest. Frankie pushed away from the mantle, vulnerability shining from her chocolate eyes, "Please. We can...we can forget it even happened tomorrow if you want. Whatever you want." A self-deprecating laugh escaped her lips as she slowly came closer to the taller woman, "Listen to me, sounding like some pathetic loser."

She stopped a foot away from Bianca, her eyes blinking as she tried to regain her composure. They silently stared at each other for a few seconds. "Forget I said anything. It's lack of sleep talking." Frankie shook her head forcefully. She staggered back, her feet taking her away from possible rejection and regret to the kitchen.

The short woman internally berated herself. What was she thinking? She wasn't doing this. She wasn't! There was no way she would ever let those...emotions speak out like that. She needed a jolt of caffeine and her sanity would return.

She made her way to the coffee machine and systematically began to prepare a brew. She pretended not to notice as Bianca hesitantly entered the room, her gaze unwavering from the back of the agent's head.

"Coffee?" Frankie asked, attempting an air of indifference.

Bianca could only watch, her tongue unable to form words. Butterflies had erupted at Frankie's confession, her stomach feeling like an empty hollow save for their fluttering wings. A hauntingly familiar hot and cold chill raced up and down her spine. Her legs felt wobbly even though they were planted firmly on the ground. Her mind unconsciously went back to earlier that day, to when Frankie had asked all those questions. Questioned how she felt about Reese, about their relationship. She had tried not to think about what had been said. Tried not to think about what it all meant. But standing there in her pajamas and bathrobe, watching Frankie make coffee, her imperceptibly shaking fingers fiddling with the knobs and buttons, she couldn't help but think about it. About how she had never felt that race of feeling that made her body tingle when the blonde had only looked at her. How, at times, she didn't feel like the most important person in the architect's life. But, there was someone she did feel that way with. Someone who, whenever they were together, made her feel a race of emotion, even when she tried to deny it. Someone who made her feel so...so good.

Frankie kept her eyes focused on the coffee machine, the dripping of the brown liquid helping to keep her mind off the woman behind her. She held in a surprised gasp when two arms wove around her body from behind, a face nestling on her shoulder, the nose bumping the side of her neck. She brought her hands up to grip the counter, grounding her as a wispy breath brushed across her skin.

"Coffee's almost done." the agent gulped. Her eyes slammed shut as a pair of soft lips attached to her pulse point. "Bianca...Bianca stop."

The younger woman didn't listen, her teeth scraping against the tan skin. "Jesus." Frankie breathed in at the sensation. Needing to gain some semblance of control, Frankie clawed at the arms wrapped around her, unhooking them. She pushed the woman away from her, her ears tinged red as she panted.

"What are you doing?" Bianca asked, startled at the shove.

"Me? What are you doing?"

"This is what you want, isn't it?

"What...what I want?" Frankie ran a hand through her hair, words fumbling out, "You think...I can't..."

Bianca felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes, "What do you want, then?"

"I want you!" Frankie shouted, "I want you in my life. I want to see you every single day, you and the kids. I want...damn it, I just want...I just want a life, with you."

Bianca shook her head, tears falling from her brown orbs, "It's not that easy!"

"I know it's not. I'm so scared, Bianca. I'm scared of all of it. Losing you, losing the kids, these feelings inside of me. I've been scared ever since I met you. But, I'm more scared of never seeing you again, knowing that you might feel the same."

Bianca ran a palm across her forehead, roughly pushing back her long dark hair, "I'm married, Frankie."

"Are you happy? Are you happy with her?"

"It's not..."

"Are you happy?"

Tears poured down her porcelain face, "We have a life together. She's stayed with me. She's the only one who hasn't left me."

Frankie's face fell, "Bianca..."

"No!" Bianca flung a hand up, "Everyone left me. Sarah left me. Lena left me. Maggie left me. You left me. She...she hasn't left me."

"I...I didn't want to leave you." Frankie whispered, "I never wanted to leave you."

All Bianca could do was shake her head, her throat constricted with sadness.

"Don't stay with her because it's safe." Frankie sent her a pleading gaze, "I know...I know it's scary being alone. It's terrifying. But you're only twenty-five. You have your whole life ahead of you."

"Do I have you?"

"What?"

Glistening eyes locked with Frankie's, "Do I have you? Are you a part of my life?"

Frankie swallowed thickly. She was breathing hard, and no matter what, she couldn't break their shared gaze. Pushing down the fear, she choked out "You have me. You've always had me, always will."

Bianca released a sob, her hands coming to her face. Her knees buckled and she crumpled to the ground. Frankie rushed to her side, catching her before she reached the floor and lowered her the rest of the way.

"Don't cry, Bianca'la. It's going to be ok."

Bianca clung to her shirt, pressing her face against the tense shoulder. Her mind was a jumbled mess, memories and emotions colliding in a swarm of pain and hope.

"Shh, come on. You'll make yourself sick. If you stop crying...I promise to never make cookies with Miranda again." Frankie tried to joke, forcing a grin on her face.

Bianca sniffled and hiccuped. The thought of her beautiful daughter and the roguish agent splattered in batter broke through the cornucopia in her brain. She coughed, a miniscule laugh escaping with it.

"We might start our own cooking show. The Frankie and Kid Show. We'll make culinary disasters every Monday night."

Bianca nuzzled deeper into the comforting shoulder, her sobs quieting down. "You...you'd be on after Rachel Ray."

"Man, Rachel Ray would be our bitch." Frankie scoffed with a smirk.

"Hey, I like Rachel Ray." Bianca swatted at her belly, her tears drying.

"You would." an affectionate tone coated her voice. Feeling a vibration against her leg, Frankie wiggled an arm loose and dug into her pocket. Retrieving her phone and flipping it open, she rapidly read the text message. Reese was on her way home.

"You need to get some sleep." Frankie shoved the phone back in her pocket, "And I have a million and one things to go over."

"You need to sleep, too." Bianca peered up at her through long lashes.

Frankie smiled tenderly down at her, "Yeah yeah, I'll see what I can do."

They carefully stood up, Bianca's legs still a little unsteady. Frankie helped her to her bedroom, playfully tucking her in with a wink and an offer for milk and cookies if she said all her prayers. As she turned to leave, Bianca grabbed her wrist and pulled her down so they were face to face. She gazed at the agent for a brief moment before leaning up and kissing her cheek. With a mumbled goodnight, Frankie exited the room. She checked on Gabrielle and Miranda before sneaking out of the apartment, narrowly missing an incoming Reese.

Departing the apartment building, Frankie passed by a parked car, nodding at a hidden Jones. He waved back before returning his eyes to the building. Shoving her hands into her pockets, she headed down the sidewalk. Her mind was going a mile a minute. One second she was thinking about the files that still needed her attention, the next Bianca's tearful gaze took over.

Spotting a park, the green area barely lit by the randomly positioned streetlights, she veered off the pavement. Moving down the gravel path, she discovered a bench in a secluded spot, a nearby lamp offering enough light to make the bench visible, but not enough to hide the onyx black sky and twinkling stars.

Approaching the bench, she cautiously lowered herself onto the cold metal. With a deep breath, she swung her legs and laid out flat, her head cushioned on an arm. Looking up at the midnight sky, she felt her head clear.

* * *

Bianca kept her breathing even as she felt the mattress dip. She kept her back turned as Reese shuffled under the covers, quickly turning on her side. Within a few moments, the blonde was emitting deep even breaths, signaling her ascent into dreamland.

Bianca slowly flipped over onto her back, her eyes opening and staring blankly at the plain ceiling. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't fall asleep. She closed her eyes and started counting backwards from a hundred. That didn't work.

She tried to clear her head, taking calming breaths. Nope, still no good.

Turning her head to glance at the sleeping woman, Bianca couldn't help but wonder. Was Frankie right?

* * *

Frankie brought the lit cigarette to her lips, inhaling before bringing the hand to rest against her stomach. She let out the smoke, her head adjusting to a more comfortable position against her bent arm. She remembered being younger, spending the night on a park bench somewhere, stargazing all night.

Usually her thoughts were filled with where she could get a meal, or how much longer she was gonna stay in that particular city. This time, though, all she could think about was Bianca Montgomery. Bianca, with her hypnotizing eyes and kind heart. Bianca, who would stay with a woman because she had been hurt so many times, she couldn't think of any other way to live.

She brought the cigarette back up.

* * *

Bianca blinked. She had married Reese. Reese had proposed to her. Reese had chosen to spend the rest of her life with her. She wanted to be with her.

She turned onto her side. But Frankie was offering. She was offering a life. A life with someone who had made her heart jump. Someone who had...lied to her repeatedly. Someone who had chosen to leave her.

How could she trust it? Frankie had lied before. But...she sounded so sincere. That look in her eye...the emotion in her voice...that couldn't be faked. Could it?

* * *

Frankie raised a hand, idly tracing out a pattern in the stars. She bit her lip, the hand falling back down to her belly. Bianca wouldn't choose her.

She didn't deserve it.

She had hurt people. Hurt a lot of people, actually. She had hurt Bianca over and over. She had lied, stolen, broken the law. No one had told her they loved her before Bianca. That was a whole nineteen years without hearing it. There had to have been a reason behind it.

* * *

Bianca slipped out of bed, making sure not to wake her slumbering companion. She silently glided over to the window, pulling back the curtain. A few faint stars winked down at her, the lights from nearby buildings almost drowning them out.

With a sigh, she leaned her head against the cool glass. She knew the answer to her question, whether she wanted to or not. Frankie wasn't faking it. She never had been. Bianca could wax on and on about how the girl had hurt her and they pushed and pulled like a weird sort of seesaw, but in the end...she knew it wasn't fake.

Frankie had only told her she loved her once. The girl had been so...afraid of emotion, of putting herself out there to be hurt. But what she had felt when Frankie had said those three words...she would give anything to hear them again.

* * *

Frankie smacked herself. She couldn't think like that. Bianca had told her she loved her. They were teenagers, but it was real. That's all she needed...all that mattered. But...was it real now? Was she pushing too much? Bianca had always been scared of pushing Frankie too far, of forcing her into a relationship. Was she doing that now?

No, they needed to get this figured out. She had been open this much, a little more couldn't hurt. If it didn't work out, she'd be back in Washington in no time.

Frankie chewed on her lip. Man, she wished it worked out.

* * *

Bianca could see the first golden rays of sunshine peek over the distant horizon, ushering in a new day. She smiled to herself. She knew what she was going to do. She knew what she wanted.

* * *

Frankie sat up, resting her back against the arm of the bench. She tented a hand over her eyes, the bright morning light gleaming down at her. She couldn't help the grin that spread across her face. She felt like...today was going to be a good day.


	30. Chapter 28

Watching the sun come up and bathe the land with its bright golden rays had been something Frankie hadn't done for quite a while. But, watching the city slowly wake up under the celestial star's gentle gaze made her wish she did it more often. Beyond enticing her with a sense of peace, it had imbued her with a feeling of confidence, a quiet courage that she somehow knew she needed.

The agent walked back to her apartment, not feeling the biting cold and harsh wind characterizing that morning. Entering her apartment, she kicked off her shoes and immediately made her way to the bathroom. A quick shower and a few brush strokes later, she was pulling on a fresh pair of cargo pants and a white t-shirt. She tugged her shoulder harness on and tossed a zip-up gray hoodie on to cover it. Sitting down on her bed, she put on her black sneakers and tied the laces. She checked her gun, made sure she had her cellphone and keys, and was out the door.

The metro ride to the Williams's apartment was short. Soon, Frankie was entering the building, her eyes set on the bank of elevators. Reaching the doors, she was slightly surprised when Reese exited the lift, accidentally bumping into her.

"Oh, Ms. Moore, I'm sorry. I didn't see you." Reese apologized.

"That's ok, Mrs. Williams." Frankie waved it off, her hand shooting forward to hold the door open so she could enter.

"Have a good day." Reese said, watching with a smile as the elevator doors closed.

Frankie stood in the elevator, staring at the numbers as they slowly changed. She began to hum some tune that the teenager next to her on the subway had blaring from her Ipod. She shoved her hands into her pockets and rocked on the balls of her feet, mentally willing the numbers to move faster.

With a ding, the elevator finally reached the correct floor, and Frankie stepped out of the lift as soon as the doors opened. She marched up to the apartment door, going over in her mind what she was going to do. She was going to tell Bianca what she needed to hear, get her to see that they should be together, and then go back to work and get Reese and everyone else involved in this scam thrown in jail. Simple...easy...no problem at all.

Confidently striding up to the wooden barrier, she raised a fist and knocked. The hand dropped back into her pocket as she waited to be let in. Hearing the lock twist, she squared her shoulders. The door swung open and Miranda's gleeful face beamed up at her.

"Hi Frankie!"

"Hey kid." Frankie smiled down at her, "What's up?"

Miranda shrugged and slid to the side, allowing the agent to walk past her into the room. "Nothing."

"Nothing, huh? No evil plans to take over the world?"

Miranda shook her head with a giggle, "Nope. But I got piano practice today."

"Ah yes, you poor poor child." Frankie teased.

"We're getting ready for the Christmas show." the girl explained, closing the door.

"Will there be ice-skating sugar plums and a rat king?"

"No, just us."

"The best show anyone could ask for." Frankie tickled the child's side, drawing a loud laugh. "Where's your mom?"

"Right here." Bianca answered for her, walking into the room. She offered the two a smile, her eyes twinkling, "I see you're both awake this morning."

Frankie froze, her eyes widening at the sight of the other woman. Brown eyes held a hint of tiredness, but still shined with happiness. Her full red lips were raised in a welcome grin. All thoughts and feelings Frankie might have had before completely left her. She stood there, staring at the mother, her mouth open slightly.

"Miranda, why don't you go in the kitchen and set the table?" Bianca encouraged her oldest daughter with a tilt of her head. Miranda shot the now silent woman a confused look before listening to her parent and leaving the room.

"Morning Frankie." Bianca took a step towards the shorter brunette.

Frankie swallowed thickly and cleared her throat. Ok...maybe not so simple and easy. Truthfully, she was scared to death. There was no way she could walk right up and tell Bianca to be with her. No way.

"Everything ok?" her smile faltered a little at the lack of response.

"Yeah...yeah, of course." Frankie shook off the daze. She internally berated herself. Now was the time for her to be speaking up and, in a way, seducing the other woman. Instead she was chickening out and sounding like an idiot. Come on, it was just...emotions. Damn it.

"Oh, ok. Did you sleep well last night?"

"I didn't sleep that much, actually." Frankie congratulated herself on forming a whole sentence. Good, just stick with easy casual topics. Chicken.

"Oh," Bianca ducked her head, a shy smile crossing her face, "me too. I thought...about things."

"Things?"

"About us."

Frankie blinked at that. "What...what about us?"

"I just...thought about what you said. I thought about the past and the future."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Bianca said softly, standing in front of the woman, She lightly punched her arm, "Come on Stone, talk to me."

"I'm not much of a talker." she couldn't help the flicker at the corner of her lips.

"You said some things last night."

"Maybe I was just saying stuff, trying to stay awake."

"Were you?"

Frankie let out a breath at the intense look, "No...no I wasn't."

"I know."

"You do, do you?"

Bianca lifted a finger, gently playing with the collar of Frankie's sweatshirt, "You keep saying you know me. I know a thing or two about you, too."

"Like what?" she could feel the tips of her ears start to burn.

"Like you never 'just say stuff' about your feelings. When you talk about how you feel, how you really feel, it's true."

Frankie lowered her head, a hand coming up to run through her hair. Her ears burned bright red.

"I know you love my children. You act tough, but deep inside your a sweetheart. I can see that, and so can they. You love your sister. You might act like she doesn't matter to you or your life, but you care about her. And," she took a deep breathe, "and, I think I know how you feel about me."

"Wow, seems like you know a lot." Frankie nervously chuckled as she tugged at her necklace. She refused to meet Bianca's searching eyes.

"Frankie..."

"A walking encyclopedia. Spend a lot of time trying to analyze people?" she tried to sound offended, but it came out scared.

"I don't analyze people, and I don't analyze you."

"Sure you don't. What would you call this?"

Bianca could clearly see her closing off, trying to pull away and change focus. She wasn't going to let her, though. She had spent all night thinking about this. She had come to a decision. She was going to be happy. She wanted the hot chill and butterflies. She wanted it all.

"Frankie", she griped the gray cotton and pulled her closer, "I know how you feel. I feel the same way."

"Yeah?" scoffed Frankie, terrified eyes popping up at the tug.

Bianca nodded, her face inches from the agent's. She gazed into brown eyes, her breath mingling with the other woman's. "You're scared. Scared about all these feelings inside of you. You wonder if you're making a mistake. You wonder if you're doing the right thing...if you can actually do this...the right thing. God Frankie, you've been so strong. You've been so...so great. You don't have to be strong for me, anymore."

She tenderly rested her forehead against the agent's, a caring smile joining the warmth in her eyes. "Are you in love with me?"

"Bianca..." Frankie swallowed hard, her tone wavering.

Bianca cupped her free hand around Frankie's cheek, the other hand holding the gray shirt, a thumb softly rubbing the agent's neck. "It's ok, honey. You don't have to be strong, anymore. It's just us. Just you and me. Don't be scared. Just...just feel me. Feel it. Are you in love with me?"

"Yes." was whispered, eyelids slipping closed.

Bianca felt the hot and cold chills, the butterflies. She felt it all. With an aching slowness, she tilted her head. Their noses brushed against each other and she tightened her grip. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, wanting to fly outside of her body. A tiny gasp escaped as her lips met Frankie's.

They both trembled at the contact, eyes clenched shut at the ghostly touch. Bianca could feel wetness against her cheeks. Their lips lightly grazed, barely touching. She could feel it. She could feel everything. She was seventeen again, huddled with her girlfriend in the dark, experiencing things she had never felt before. She was twenty-five, fireworks flashing behind her eyes and tingles running up and down her body.

She pulled back with a happy sigh. Her hands were shaking against the body before her. With a sudden rush, lips were pressed against her's again. She smiled into the kiss, feeling arms wrap around her waist. She kissed back. They couldn't keep the smiles from their faces, causing their teeth to clash, but they didn't care. It felt so good. So damn good.

Bianca tore her lips away, not able to keep it inside her anymore. She placed them on Frankie's ear, her breath tickling as she spoke quietly, "I love you, too."

She felt the other woman stop moving, a light tremble the only indication she had heard her. Then, Frankie buried her face against the taller woman's neck, "Say it again."

"I love you, Frankie. I love you." Bianca repeated, her voice more confident each time.

The agent pressed wet kisses to her skin, a hitch in her breath at each declaration. Bianca wrapped her arms tightly around her, holding her.

"God, I love you so much. So damn much." Frankie mumbled, "I always have, I swear."

"I know sweetheart, I know. I love you, too." Bianca nuzzled soft brown hair, pressing soft reassuring kisses there.

"Mommy? Frankie? What're you guys doing?"

Bianca burrowed further against Frankie, having forgotten her daughters were in the next room. She felt one final brush of lips against her neck as Frankie pulled back. Fingers slipped from her waist, a discreet tug at her belt loop before they left completely.

"You're mom wasn't feeling well, so I was giving her a hug." Frankie answered, subtly wiping at her eyes.

"Oh. You feel bad, Mommy?"

Bianca rubbed the tears from her face and turned to her daughter, a big genuine grin plastered across her face, "It's ok, Mimo. Don't worry." She secretly placed a hand at the small of the agent's back.

Miranda gave her a worried look, "Sure? 'Cause if you need to feel better you could smoke."

"What?" Bianca wasn't sure she heard the little girl right. She felt the agent stiffen.

"Frankie says smoking makes her feel better. So, it should make you feel better, too."

"Hey kiddo, why don't you go get your backpack? We need to get you to piano practice." Frankie loudly interrupted the child's explanation.

"Ok," Miranda shrugged and ran off, "Feel better, Mommy!"

Bianca slowly turned to look at the agent, her eyebrows raised. Frankie offered a nervous smile, her mind racing for an out as she raised her hands, "Kids these days."

"You told her smoking makes people feel better?" she gave her an incredulous look, "Smoking kills, Frankie."

"Yeah...well. I didn't exactly say that."

"What did you say, then?"

"You see...well...come on, Bianca'la darling, it's not like that at all." Frankie waved her hands. She didn't see the growing smile at first until Bianca's face was almost splitting in half, "What?"

"You called me darling."

"I called you Bianca'la darling, actually." a smart tone.

Bianca kissed her, again. A questing tongue brushed against her lips. With a gasp, Bianca opened her mouth, allowing the smooth muscle to enter. It tenderly tangled with her own. She wound an arm around Frankie's neck, deepening the kiss even more. This was right. This was how it was supposed to be.

The sound of footsteps forced them apart. Bianca loosely crossed her arms, head ducked to hide her blushing grin, as Frankie's restless fingers straightened her shirt.

"I'm ready." Miranda announced, her bag thrown over her shoulders.

"Great. Let's go." Frankie motioned towards the door. She faced Bianca, "We'll see you and Gabby when we get back. Try to get some sleep, it'll help you feel better." She winked and began to walk away.

A hand shot out, tugging her back, "Or you'll shove a cancer stick down my throat?"

"I can think of something better to..."

"You two stay out of trouble," Bianca cut her off, "I...you know." she gave the agent a pointed look.

"You're starting to sound like me. And I...you know, too."

* * *

"You missed breakfast." Miranda stated, her hand firmly enclosed in Frankie's as they walked down the sidewalk. The piano lessons were taught in the instructor's own home, an apartment nestled in a quiet neighborhood.

"Wasn't hungry. Besides, you're mom and I had to talk about something."

"What?"

"Stuff."

"Why are your ears red?"

Frankie raised a hand and rubbed at her burning ears. "Why are you asking so many questions today?"

Miranda shrugged. She was quiet for a moment before asking, "Will you be moving in with us?"

"No, I have my own place." Frankie shook her head, eyes scanning the path.

"Are you going to marry my mommy?"

Frankie tripped, almost face-planting on the sidewalk.

"W-What?"

"Are you gonna marry my mommy?"

Frankie's eyes were as wide as saucers. She gaped at the child, her mouth opening and closing but no words coming out. Miranda looked at her expectantly. Finally finding her voice, "W-what...why would you think that?"

"I saw you."

Frankie's mouth dropped open.

Miranda giggled, delight on her face, "You look funny."

"What did you see?" Frankie played with her necklace.

"You and mommy kissed. For a long time."

"You saw that?"

Miranda nodded.

"You're kinda sneaky, kid."

Miranda shrugged, "So, are you?"

"Why would we get married?"

"You kissed. Married people kiss." Miranda stated matter-of-factly.

Frankie sighed, dropping on one knee. "Miranda, just because we kissed, doesn't mean we're getting married. You're mom's married to Reese, remember?"

"She can quit be married to Reese and marry you."

Frankie took in a shuddering breath, "It's not that easy."

Miranda crossed her arms, a pout forming, "Why not?"

"It's complicated."

Miranda took this in, a curious look entering her eyes, "Don't you want to marry mommy?"

Frankie rubbed at her face, feeling the itch for a cigarette, "We're gonna be late. Let's go."

"No, do you?" Miranda place her hands on the agent's shoulders, pushing her down with all her weight.

"I would love to be a part of your family, kiddo."

Miranda nodded, accepting the answer, "Good."

Frankie stood up, the child instantly taking her hand. They made their way down the pavement till they reached the appropriate building.

"See ya soon!" Miranda waved, rushing in.

Frankie watched her go with a wistful quirk of the lips. Idly plodding around, she leaned against a parked car and put her hands in her pockets. She started to hum again, this time the song she had danced to with Bianca at the Halloween party. Her mind wandered, images of the beautiful brunette filling every crevice. She couldn't wait to get back.

A buzzing brought her out of her musings. Pulling out her cellphone, she flipped it open, "Yeah?"

"Agent Stone, this is Agent Johnson."

"What can I do for you?"

"I have some good news for you."

"I knew this was going to be a good day." Frankie smirked.

"Last night we got those files from Lyon."

"The ones on...what's his name...the eye guy?"

"Yes, on him. They finally got tired of us calling all the time and faxed the reports over."

"What did they say?"

"The man's friends last saw him leaving a club with a man and a woman. The man was about 5'4, with dark hair that looked unwashed or greasy. He had a limp."

"Sounds like Carrington."

"The woman was blonde, late thirties, about 5'5, dark eyes, dressed fashionably..."

"Sounds exactly like Reese Williams. Good job, you two." Frankie smirked at the find.

She didn't look up at the sound of an oncoming car, instead concentrating on what the rest of the report contained. She glanced up though after hearing two cars but not seeing any pass by her. She looked to her left. A car had parked horizontally across the road, blocking any other cars from entering or exiting. A glance to her right confirmed the second car had done the same thing. Her stomach clenched.

Something was very wrong.

"Johnson, I'm at Miranda Montgomery's piano practice. Do you know the address?"

"Yes."

She pushed off the car, looking back and forth between the two black unmarked vehicles, "Send me back-up right now."

"What?"

She was already reaching into her sweatshirt, fingers wrapping around the gun handle as the car doors opened. Behind her she heard the building door open.

"Frankie! Can we get a chocolate croissant on the way home?" Miranda skipped out of the building.

Dark uniformed men stepped out of the cars, sunglasses hiding their eyes. They quickly walked towards the duo. A flash of light off of metal caught Frankie's eye. She pulled out her gun, a hand halting Miranda.

"Miranda, get back inside."

The child stopped at the serious tone, "What?"

The men kept moving, getting closer and closer. She had to protect the girl.

"Miranda, go. Now!"

Frankie saw one of the men pull something out of his pocket. She raised her gun, pointing it at him. Seeing this, he stopped moving, a stoic look on his face. The agent kept one eye on him, trying to focus on both groups. As her head moved to fully look at him, a cruel smile appeared on his face.

A shot rang out.

"Fuck!" Frankie dove against the side of the car, a bullet whizzing inches by her head.

"Frankie!" Miranda shouted.

"Miranda run! Now!" Frankie cried out, firing her gun.

She heard the little girl run.

Huddling against the car, Frankie crawled around the front, ducking to the other side as shots cracked in the air. All of the men had guns out now, pointed at the lone agent.

Frankie aimed and fired off another shot, hitting one of the men. He dropped to the ground with a moan, blood spurting in the air. She ducked back down, a barrage of bullets flying over her head and hitting the car. She cursed silently as she looked around. She had nowhere to go.

The men came to the same conclusion. They wordlessly communicated with each other. The first group advanced on the hidden agent while the second hung back, waiting for them to force her out.

Frankie held up her gun and wildly fired a few shots, killing another one of the men. She brought it back down, mentally counting how many bullets she had left. Another hail of bullets hit the car, causing it to shake.

As she prepared to fire again, a flash of black caught the corner of her eye. Frankie turned her head to see one of the men from the second group sneaking up the sidewalk. Swiveling around, she aimed at him, pulling the trigger.

Two shots filled the air.

Frankie stiffened. It felt like a stick of dynamite exploded right below her sternum. She was thrown back against the car. The gun dangled from her stunned hand, clattering to the ground. She didn't hear it. Everything was in slow motion. She watched as the man fell to the ground. Bullets flew past her, one catching her shoulder. She spun, not hearing anything. She didn't feel her body slowly collapsing, her knees smacking the pavement. She tumbled forward, her eyes focusing on the red stain on her white shirt.

It was all silence.

She hit the concrete.

"FRANKIE!"

Miranda watched from her hiding spot beneath a car as the agent fell. She scrambled to the sidewalk, her arms and legs scrapping against the rough surface.

"FRANKIE!"

She crawled to her feet, stumbling as she tried to race to her friend's side. She flinched at the sound of metal hitting metal, but kept running. Her tiny legs pumped as fast as they could.

She screamed as two strong arms wrapped around her. She kicked her legs as she was lifted off the ground, her arms reaching towards Frankie.

"No! Frankie!"

She squirmed, trying to get loose. The arms wrapped tighter, hugging her close to a warm body to protect her against the flying bullets.

She heard a car door slam open and she was flung inside, the person quickly following her and shutting the door.

"Let's go!" yelled the man.

"No! Frankie!" Miranda pushed and pulled at the locked door handle. Giving up, she jumped to her knees, looking out the back window at the dented car and people lying in the street.

"Johnson, this is Jones. We're on the way back to the apartment to pick up Bianca Williams." her savior spoke into the phone.

"What is going on?" a voice sounded.

"There was an attack. The target looks to be Miranda Montgomery."

Stuart roared down the road, ignoring red lights and stop signs as he raced them back to the building.

"Johnson, we have an agent down. I repeat, there is an agent down." Jones spoke rapidly.

"What? Who?"

"Agent Stone."

The whole world seemed to stop for a moment.

"Do you know her condition, Jones?"

He tried to forget the sight of his superior splayed out on the ground, blood pooling beneath her unmoving body.

"No."


	31. Chapter 29

A small giggle filled the air, mixing perfectly with the happiness already permeating the bright space. Bianca tried to hide her smile behind a playful look of frustration as she glanced up from the dripping stain on her shirt. Gabrielle clapped her tiny hands together, her eyes light as the sun at her mother's attention.

Bianca shook her head, unable to hold back the smile at her daughter's gleefulness. She brushed away some of the sticking cereal, sloppy crumbs falling to the ground, "You think that's funny, huh?"

Gabby bounced in her seat, another giggle escaping her lips. Bianca set down the spoon she had been using to feed the small child breakfast and stood up. She leaned over and placed a giant kiss on the infant's head, a loud smack sounding as she pulled away. Loving fingers wrapped around the girl and pulled her up out of the chair. Gabby kicked her legs, her arms joining in with a shriek of surprise.

"Up we go. We need to get you ready, and I need a new shirt."

She cuddled the girl to her chest, placing another kiss on her face. With a smile, she walked out of the kitchen and towards the bedrooms. Passing through the living room, she picked up the stereo remote and clicked it on, a local radio station that played American music filling the air with the DJ's soft voice.

She entered the baby's room, hefting her up more into her arms as she headed towards the closet. With one arm supporting the child, she reached out and opened the door, a knowing hand sifting through the layers of clothing. Gabby watched with curious eyes, the bright colors catching her attention. As her mother's hand brushed against a bright yellow sundress, she squealed.

"You want to wear that one, honey? It's a little chilly out." Bianca peered down at the girl. In response, Gabby leaned forward, her miniature fingers wiggling at the clothing. "Ok, looks like this is the one."

Grabbing the dress, she walked over and sat the girl down. Quickly changing the girl from her purple footie pajamas into the dress, she found the matching floppy hat and placed it on the child's head with a flourish, eliciting another giggle and hand clap.

That done, Bianca picked up the girl and walked the short distance to her and Reese's room. She set Gabby down on the large bed as she went to the closet to find a new shirt. Immediately, Gabrielle started crawling around, tumbling into the pillows a few times and losing her hat.

"No, it's not nap time, yet." Bianca walked out of her closet wearing a dark red v-neck sweater. She jumped on the bed and scooped Gabby into her arms. Gabrielle shrieked and dug her fingers into the sweater as her mother crashed into the pillows. Bianca cuddled her close with a grin, "We don't get a nap until Frankie and Miranda get home."

Gabrielle squirmed at those words, her innocent brown eyes moving to hover over the woman's face. "They'll be back after Miranda's piano lesson. Frankie went with her."

The infant squealed at the last sentence, her lips pulling into a smile. Bianca laughed and traced a gentle finger across her soft cheek, "You like Frankie, don't you?" A loud giggle was her answer. "I like her too."

Bianca's features softened as she stared at her youngest. A deep breath, "Actually, I more than like her. I love her. I love Frankie." Bianca watched hesitantly after her confession, unconsciously knowing the girl was too young to understand what she was saying, but still needing to have her approval. Gabrielle's lips curled and she brought her hands up, smooshing them against her mother's cheeks and puckering her red lips. Bianca sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. She smothered kisses on the baby's face with her fish-like shaped lips as she stood up, bringing the girl with her. Gabrielle laughed and wound her arms around the woman's neck.

"I know, this could be a big change. I'm supposed to be in love with Reese, your other mother. I do love her. And we're married, which means a lot to me." Bianca began walking down the hallway. "I don't want to put you and Miranda through what I went through with my parents. Having parents who are divorced is really tough, and I never wanted to do that to you two. I married Reese because we loved each other and wanted to spend our lives together."

They entered the living room, music softly playing in the background. Bianca placed Gabrielle down on the sofa, a pensive look on her face as she started pacing in front of the child.

"I never wanted to be one of those parents who gets divorced. I was so hurt when I met Reese, and she made me feel so good. She wanted to be with me so much. She wanted everything with me. But...but Frankie's here. She's back. I thought she was dead, Gabrielle. I thought she died and was never coming back. But she's not dead, and she did come back. She came back to me...and she loves me. She still loves me. She loves you and Miranda too, so much. I can tell."

Bianca stopped pacing and knelt down before the girl. She rested her hands on the edge of the sofa, drawing the child's attention so it was solely on her.

"We were young when we first met. I was seventeen. But she made me feel these things inside, and no one has made me feel those ever since, not even Reese, until...until she came back. I love your mother, I do. But...I'm in love with Frankie."

A self-deprecating smirk flashed across her face.

"I was so scared when she came back. She hurt me. She hurt me a lot. But, she didn't mean to. I believe her when she says she didn't mean to, that she had to. No matter what other people say, Frankie is not a bad person. She wants to do good. She's just...a lot of people refuse to look past the tough attitude. She's really a big softie inside. But you already know that, don't you."

Bianca held out a hand a lightly tickled Gabby's belly, bringing out a laugh.

"I want to be happy, sweetie. Frankie...Frankie makes me happy. Even when we fight and yell, just knowing she's there to fight and yell with...it makes me happy. I...I know what it's like without her. I know what it is to lose her. I don't want to go through that again. I need her in my life. Reese is still your mother and she'll be in your life. But...I want to be with Frankie. It's going to be tough, I know. There are still a lot of things we need to work through, but I know we can make it."

Gabrielle bounced and waved her arms, a wide smile shining bright. Bianca felt her eyes crinkle at the size of her own grin as she took in her daughter's reaction. With a relieved sigh she pulled the child into a tight hug. She breathed in the fresh smell of innocence and life as she stood up, tightening her grip for a second. With one last kiss to the baby's head, she raised her eyes to look around the room.

"What should we do until they get home? Hmmm?"

Hearing another song begin on the radio, she glided over to the stereo. Turning it up, she spoke, "You know, Frankie keeps saying she doesn't dance. Secretly, I think she likes it, though. She wants to act tough, but she's mush inside. Why don't we dance until they get back, then you can take her for a spin around the room. I think she'd like that."

Bianca began to twirl around, Gabby laughing in her arms. As Louis Armstrong began to sing, she softly sang along with him.

"I see trees of green, red roses too.

I see them bloom for me and you.

And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.

I see skies of blue, and clouds of white.

The bright blessed days, dark sacred nights.

And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.

The colors of the rainbow are so pretty in the sky.

Are also on the faces of people going by.

I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do.

They're really saying, I love you. I hear babies cry.

I watch them grow. They'll learn much more than I'll ever know.

And I think to myself. What a wonderful world.

I think to myself, what a wonderful world."

The last bars of the song played out and Bianca stopped spinning, ending up in the middle of the room. Before she could open her mouth to say something, the front door burst open, the wooden barrier slamming against the wall. Bianca jumped at the loud noise, the infant squirming nervously in her arms. She cautiously shuffled over to peer towards the entrance when frantic voices and crying reached her ears. Seconds later, the heavy footsteps resulted in Jones, Miranda, and some other man rushing into the room.

Miranda was bawling, tears running fast and deep down her cheeks as the unknown man steered her into the room. She kept fighting against him, trying to turn back towards the door.

"Keep moving." the man ordered, his eyes scanning the apartment.

"No! Go back! Go back!" Miranda shouted, struggling in his grip.

"I don't know! I don't know!" Jones kept speaking into the cellphone held against his ear, an almost destroyed look on his face.

Taking all this in, Bianca shifted Gabrielle to one arm, a sense of dread and fear filling her entire being. She quickly stepped over to the trio, a hand automatically reaching out for her daughter, "Miranda! What's wrong? Are you ok?"

Hearing the familiar voice, Miranda broke free from Stuart's hold and sprinted to her mother, throwing herself against the woman, "Mommy! We...we have to go back! We...we hafta!" she choked out.

Bianca wrapped her free arm around the sobbing girl, her eyes going back and forth between Miranda and Jones.

"Are you ok? Are you hurt? Miranda?" Bianca pushed her feelings of terror down and tried to focus. She ran her hand over the trembling body, feeling for wounds. She let out a sigh at not finding anything.

"Go back! We...we hafta go back." Miranda kept repeating, digging her hands deeper into the sweater.

"Go back where? What's going on?" Bianca peered up at the two agents, finally realizing something during the frantic moment, "Where's Frankie?"

Miranda cried harder, if it was possible, tugging at the ends of her mother's shirt, "We hafta go back! Frankie! Frankie!"

Bianca's brown orbs searched the room, worry in her gaze, "Where is she? Where?"

Stuart stepped up to the mother, his hands up in a placating position at the shouting, "Mrs. Williams, my name is Agent Stuart. There is no need to worry. If you could stay calm for me, we can..."

"Where's Frankie?" Bianca yelled. Her chest began to tighten. Something was very wrong. She needed Frankie. Where was she?

"Mrs. Williams, I need you to stay calm." Stuart tried again in a soothing tone.

"Agent Jones," Bianca ignored the man and turned her shaky gaze on the young agent, "What is going on? Where is she?"

Jones licked his lips, the phone still held to his ear. Giving her a helpless look, he turned back to the phone, "No, Johnson. I don't know. We're inside the apartment. Yes."

"DAMN IT!" Bianca pushed her way to the man and ripped the phone away from him, "Where is she? Is she hurt?"

Jones gaped at her, "Ma'am, I need the phone back. Please."

"Tell me. Tell me! Please...just tell me." Bianca begged.

Jones looked at the nearly hysterical woman. He took in the trembling sobbing toddler burrowed into her side and the now teary baby. He took a deep breath before locking eyes with the mother. He licked his lips again, not wanting to be the one to tell her. He had seen them together, eating lunch and out at the park. He had seen what was between them. And if he was in the state of mind to do so, he would have cursed every god known to man for doing this.

"Please, Jones. Please."

"Mrs. Williams, if you would..." began Stuart, but was interrupted by Jones.

"There was an attack outside the building your daughter was having her piano lesson at. We don't know much about what happened, but...but Agent Stone was hurt."

The phone clattered to the ground. Bianca stared blankly at the young man. "How...how badly?"

Jones shrugged helplessly, "We don't know her condition, ma'am. Our first priority was getting your daughter away from the situation."

"How...what...what did she look like? How did she look?"

Jones swallowed hard at the intense look, "She...Agent Stone...we're not sure. She was hit before we could get to her."

"How badly, Agent Jones?"

"She wasn't moving."

Bianca gasped. Her head dropped and her chest tightened. It felt like she couldn't breathe. She choked for air, her mind unable to understand, to take in what was being said. She stumbled back to the sofa, falling onto the soft surface. Miranda crawled into her lap, curling into a tiny ball. Bianca barely felt her, her eyes blinking rapidly as her mind whirled. Numbness enveloped her body. Then, her mind cleared. Only one thought within its confines. She shook her head as feeling slowly returned.

Jones shared a look with Stuart before carefully approaching the distraught woman. Confusion filled him as she looked up at him with a determined look.

"Take me to her apartment."

"Ma'am?"

Bianca stood, panting softly,but possessing an inner strength, "Take me to Frankie's apartment. This...this isn't right. I need you to take me there."

Jones shot her a sad look, "She's not there, Mrs. Williams."

"I don't care! There's something there. We have to go."

Stuart stepped in, "Mrs. Williams, we cannot let you leave this apartment."

Bianca looked squarely at Jones, "If you don't go with me, I'll go alone."

* * *

Maggie strolled casually up to the nurses' station, dropping a file down on the clean surface.

"Busy day, Dr. Stone?" the pretty blonde looked up with a smile, a French accent lightly coating her words.

"Isn't the clinic always busy? Just because you have the sniffles does not mean you are dying." Maggie rolled her eyes and picked up another file.

"Why are you not in the ER?"

"I'm covering for Paul. His sister surprised him with a visit, so he's taking the day off."

"That's very nice of you, Dr. Stone. You are a very nice person."

"Thank you, Nurse Bocuse."

"Your girlfriend is very lucky to have you."

Maggie blushed, "I am the one who is lucky."

The nurse smiled at the red tinged cheeks, "You two must be very happy."

The corner's of Maggie's lips curled at the thought of Ally, "Yeah, we are. She's...she is amazing."

"Ah...I know that look. My husband Daniel had that look. You are going to marry her."

A chuckled slipped out, "Marriage? We...I don't know. Ally has her art, and I'm so busy here. It's only been a little over a year."

"No, you have the look. You two will marry, mark my words."

A spark of hopefulness flashed in Maggie's brown orbs, "Maybe."

"MAGGIE!" a voice shouted.

The doctor turned at the noise, the sight of her friend and colleague Jac running down a hallway causing her to shoot him a weird look, "Hey, Jac."

"What? What are you doing here? You're ok!" he hurtled into her, almost knocking her over in an enthusiastic hug.

"The morphine is for the patients." Maggie joked, confused as he tried to crush her in his arms.

"Where? But how? The description fit you. I saw you." he pulled back, running his hands over her body in search of wounds.

"What are you talking about?"

"It was you, I swear. She looked just like you." Then he gasped, "I called Ally. She was very worried. She's coming."

"You called Ally? I'm fine. I'm right here." Maggie grew worried about what the redhead must be thinking, "I need to call her."

Jac shook his head, "I do not understand. It was you. In the ER, from the ambulance."

"MAGGIE!" another voice cried out. Before Maggie could turn to look, she was pulled into a strong embrace, kisses pressed against her long dark hair.

"You're ok. Maggie, baby, Jac said you were hurt. I rushed over...broke every traffic law to do it." Ally spoke rapidly in between kisses to her hair and face.

"I'm fine, honey. I don't know what's going on. I'm not hurt." Maggie tried to reassure her.

Ally tightened her hold and dipped her head, pressing her lips hungrily against the other woman's. She had been terrified after receiving the call from Jac. She needed to feel her, kiss her, know that she was ok.

Maggie accepted the kiss, a hand tangling in auburn locks. Her eyes slid closed at the sensations the touch invoked.

A gasp rang out, causing the two to pull back. Maggie looked over to see Nurse Bocuse standing behind the desk, a hand covering her mouth while Jac stared, his mouth wide open. She followed their gaze to a stretcher waiting in front of the elevators, a crew of doctors and nurses huddled around it. Shooting Ally a quick glance, she softly walked over to the group.

She froze halfway there.

"Oh my god." she breathed out, a hand coming to her chest. She couldn't move her eyes from the sight in front of her.

"What's taking it so long?" one of the nurses huffed, tapping their foot anxiously.

"Damn, I lost the pulse. I cannot find a pulse." another nurse spoke, pressing their fingers against a bloody wrist before moving to an equally bloody neck.

"Maggie? Who?" Ally walked up behind the still doctor, lightly placing a hand on her shoulder.

Maggie moved away, speed walking to the group as the elevator doors finally opened, "I have to go with them."

"Maggie?"

"Frankie. My sister. I have to help her."


	32. Chapter 30

_The letter trembled in her hands as the words went through her mind. Over and over they repeated themselves, forcing emotions to well up inside. Bianca couldn't hear anything, her attention focused on what she had read...on what Frankie had left her. The words echoed, as loud and clear as day._

_Dear Bianca. I hope that where I'm going I will stop hurting people. In movies, people say, "I never meant to hurt you." I can't say that. I did mean to. I planned to. But I don't like that part of me anymore. But there is something that I want you to hear, and I would do anything - anything if I can make you believe it. I never fooled you. You always knew the real me, even when I wanted - even when I didn't want anyone to know, when I didn't even want to know myself. You never responded to a lie, only when the truth happened to slip out. You never did anything stupid. You never let yourself be used. And the person who ended up completely changed was me, not you. I did things - things to convince myself you weren't changing me and my life. I did drugs. I went with that boy to fool myself into thinking I was in control, that I was who I said I was. In truth, all I really wanted was - was to be happy with you. I love you. I wish I could have been strong when we were together - as strong as you always were. Please don't let me change who you are. Your mother was right about me, but she was completely wrong about you. _

_Love always, Mary Frances. _

_P.S. - I hope you will read these sonnets and think of me. _

* * *

_Bianca slowly crept down the dark hallway, her breath the only noise in the empty house. It was late, and Opal wasn't home. The proper thing to do, would be to wait until Opal was home, since it was her house she was going through. But right now, Bianca didn't care about what was the proper or right thing to do. She needed to be there. Her dreams had been getting more and more intense as time went on. Every time she closed her eyes, flashes of Frankie, happy and so full of life, smirking up at her with that roguish grin that made her heart skip turned into horrifying pictures of a bloody corpse sprawled out lifelessly on the ground. It was too much. She needed a break from the world, from her nightmares. She needed to feel close to the one person who made her feel like everything would be ok. She needed someone who was dead._

_Seeing the door, Bianca paused. This was it. This was the room Frankie had stayed in during her brief visit to Pine Valley. This was the room where they had first kissed, where Bianca had given her the locket, and where they had declared their love for one another. This was the place Frankie was killed._

_Steeling herself, she slowly stepped up to the door and turned the handle, pushing it open. Standing in the threshold, she couldn't stop her eyes from lowering to the carpet. Her chest tightened and her fingers dug into the binding of the book in her hands. The floor was clean, the blood stains having been washed away. But, she couldn't help but go back in time, back to when she had walked through that very same door to find her girlfriend face down on that very same carpet, unmoving._

_Movement caused her to glance over at the bed. Her breath caught in her throat as a tiny spark of hope kindled in her heart. The hair, that face, those lips. Could it be? _

_A head rose up slightly from the bed to look at the newcomer, and Bianca, once again, felt her heart drop. It wasn't Frankie. It was never going to be Frankie. It was Maggie._

_Finding her voice, the teenager walked further into the room with a helpless shrug, "I'm so sorry."_

"_No, don't be." Maggie reached over to turn on the bedside lamp._

"_I didn't expect anybody to be here. I thought the house was empty."_

"_Why wouldn't you?"_

"_Look, I feel real funny...finding you here." _

"_I came to see if I could find...I don't know what, exactly."_

"_Feel closer to Frankie, maybe?" Bianca nodded her head, feeling that way herself._

"_Yeah, I guess that's why you came too." Maggie took in the pained brown eyes, "Bianca, I know that you see her when you look at me."_

"_Well, everybody does."_

"_Yeah, but you loved her. I know that you're struggling."_

"_Well, you're her twin sister. I mean, Maggie, I can't even imagine how hard this must be on you to be without her."_

"_Opal hasn't had anyone stay in here since what happened, has she?" Maggie stood up and walked past Bianca, closing the door gently._

"_No, not that I know of."_

_Maggie placed her hands on her belly, threading her thin fingers together, "It still smells like her. That pillow, it's all Frankie."_

"_Yeah, amber." Bianca couldn't hold back the smile that still crossed her lips at the thought of her love._

"_What?"_

"_Amber. She always wore amber. I used to think it was one of the reasons my mother hated her so much. I mean, how could my girlfriend wear some health food essential oil when she could be wearing Enchantment perfume?" her thoughts drifted to the fights the two women had entered into with each other. The ridiculousness of her mother hating the girl._

"_I didn't know it was amber. Gosh, I never even asked her what she wore that smelled so good...I'm sorry."_

_Bianca felt the sadness coming from the girl, and pursed her lips at her own feelings of sorrow concerning the other Stone twin. "It's ok. It's ok."_

_Needing to change the conversation, Maggie pointed and moved over to the desk, "Um, well, I was looking through some stuff here, and well, it doesn't seem like anything here was Frankie's."_

"_Well, she came to Pine Valley with just a backpack." Bianca pushed back the memories of her and Frankie's conversations on the drifter's gypsy lifestyle. "That's it. And anything that was in there, it went with the police after she was killed."_

"_Except for the book of sonnets."_

_Bianca looked down at the book permanently nestled in her hands, "Right. You probably think I'm a freak for carrying it around all the time."_

"_No, well a little bit. No, joking." Maggie assured her, "Um, can I see it? Because I've been thinking a lot about that page that was ripped out."_

"_Sure, what have you been thinking?" Bianca felt an emptiness within her palms as she handed the book over._

"_I remembered Frankie wrote notes all the time. I mean, she used to write in the margins. It drove me crazy."_

"_There's no writing in that. I've looked at every sonnet." more than once, and she thought about the girl every time._

"_Wait, look. There's...there's impressions on this page. She must have written on the page that was torn out." Maggie pointed out the indentations on the paper._

"_Oh my god. It's like little circles. A lot of little circles."_

"_Oh my god."_

"_What?"_

"_My mom. When we were kids, my mother used to tell us, 'No talking, be quiet.' Frankie used to circle letters, you know, to send me a note or something."_

"_Do you think that's what she's doing here?" Bianca lent down to get a closer look at the page._

"_Bianca, I think this is Frankie's last message...to you."_

* * *

"Ma'am, we cannot let you leave. It's not safe." Stuart spoke sternly.

Bianca eyed Jones, "If you don't go with me, I will go alone. I will go."

"Mrs. Williams, please." Jones begged.

"I need to go to her apartment. I'll go if I have to jump out the window."

"Lady, calm down. You're fine, the kid is fine. Just sit down until we get orders." Stuart spoke up again.

"Agent Jones, take me there. Take me to her place."

"Lady..."

Bianca stepped up to Jones, her hands grabbing his jacket, "I need to go there. Please, just...just let me go. I have to go there. I know there's something there. It's just like last time. It'll explain everything." Trying not to break, her voice lowered to a whisper, "Please, I love her."

Jones gulped at the desperate tone. He glanced at the two children. Gabrielle was sniffling, the intense emotions putting her on edge. Miranda was still weeping, inconsolable. Biting his lip, he made his first ever executive decision. "We'll need someone else to cover for me here, while we're gone."

"Jones, you can't be serious?" Stuart glared at his colleague.

The young man ignored him, "Let me make a call and see if we can get Barnes or Taylor to come over."

Bianca breathed out a quiet "Thank you." as the agent picked up the cellphone and dialed. She turned to her two children, hugging them closer to her, "It's ok. It's going to be ok."

"No, it's not!" Miranda yelled.

"Shhh, Frankie is going to be fine. I promise." Bianca kissed the top of her head.

"Mrs. Williams, if you'd follow me, Agent Barnes will be arriving in a few minutes. I'll take you to Agent Stone's apartment."

Bianca pulled her children closer and gave them both one more kiss. "I'll be back soon. I promise, everything will be ok."

Jones watched as the mother finally let go of her children and turned toward the door, a strength in her posture that he had never seen before. Without a word, he followed her, picking up his pace as her long legs quickly covered ground. He ran around her to reach the door first, opening it to find a heavily breathing Barnes on the other side.

"What the hell is going on, man? We've been following Reese Williams and all of a sudden calls are flying left and right." the man spoke, stepping into the room.

"Stuart will fill you in on what we know." Jones slid past the agent as Bianca rushed out of the apartment and down the hall.

"Mrs. Williams!"

"I'll drive." Bianca kept moving as Jones sprinted down the hallway.

They took the black town car Barnes had arrived in. Jones barely had time to check the vehicle before Bianca was slipping in behind the wheel and roaring off down the road. She couldn't lose her focus, couldn't slow down. The sooner she got there, the better.

The trip took only a few minutes, Bianca breaking every traffic law she could on the way. Screeching to a stop in front of the building, she flung open the door and clambered out. She jogged into the building and to the elevator. A short ride later she found herself in front of the door Jones directed her to.

She paused. This was it. This was where it had to be.

Jones opened the door with the spare key, letting it carefully swing open. Bianca determinedly stepped inside, her eyes roaming over the messy interior. Getting a feel for the small space, she took a deep breath. Then, she went to work.

Jones stood off to the side as the tall brunette ravaged the area. She methodically went through every room, tearing apart anything she could find. In the kitchen, the sounds of pots and pans clanging together could be heard, and dishes clattered against the counter. Bianca swallowed hard at the sight of empty liquor bottles, mentally noting that she would have to speak with Frankie about that the next time she saw her. That and cigarettes. Frankie was going to stop smoking. There was no way she was going to spend her life with someone who smelled like an ashtray, especially with the kids. Bianca didn't contemplate that she might not be able to speak with Frankie about that. That she might never talk with the agent ever again. She couldn't think that way.

Finding nothing in the kitchen, she entered the living room. She checked around the television and cabinets. She looked underneath the coffee table. She ripped out the sofa cushions and tore at the arms. Nothing.

The bedroom. It was a mess. Clothes were strewn everywhere. Files and papers littered the small table space along with empty bottles of beer and cigarette cartons. Shaking her head at the sight, she started near the door and worked her way along. There was nothing underneath the piles of clothes. Nothing below the bed. Nothing between the sheets. Bianca grabbed at the wrinkled blankets, pulling them from the bed and onto the ground. Lifting the pillows up, Bianca stopped for one moment. She held the pillow close to her face and took in the comforting smell of amber.

"I'll find it, Frankie. I'll find it." she promised, closing her eyes. Visions played before her. Frankie on the train, slouched on the seat. Frankie walking up to her in the hallway, confirming that she was the lead agent on the case. Frankie with Miranda and Gabrielle, walking to Miranda's school. Frankie confessing that she loved her.

Blinking, Bianca forced herself back to the present. She had to find it. Those memories...they were only a small part of what they would have together. They weren't over. Not yet.

Setting the pillow down, she turned her attention to the files. Pulling them to her, she flipped through the pages, finding nothing but facts and dates on her family and Reese's family. Tiny notes were jotted down, but nothing to indicate what had happened. Bianca couldn't help but smile though, at the uneven scrawl. Her girl always had such bad handwriting.

Dropping them to the ground, she moved to the drawers, tugging them open and rifling through the clothes inside. She found crossword books in one, but there was nothing in them. No hidden messages. No circled words. Nothing.

"Where would it be? Where did you hide the message?" Bianca wondered aloud, looking over the room. "It has to be here. There has to be a message."

She went back to the bed, crouching down and gripping the mattress. With a large heave, she toppled it to the ground, revealing metal springs and dust. She moved back to the drawers, throwing every article of clothing to the ground as she tried to find anything tucked within.

"Where is it?" she grasped onto the drawers and pulled as hard as she could. The wooden objects flew out of their holdings, crashing to the ground. She checked them, looking for any secret openings. Nothing. She checked the empty holding space. Nothing.

"It has to be here. She left a message. I know she did." Bianca looked frantically around the room. "A letter. She wrote me a letter last time, too."

She ran back out into the living, a hesitant Jones peering after her, "Mrs. Williams?"

"Where would a letter be? Where would she write a letter?" Bianca scoured the desk, finding only empty drawers. She dropped to her knees and crawled along the floor. Something might have dropped to the ground. She ran her hands along the floor, feeling for something that could hold a message. Reaching the couch, she gritted her teeth and flipped it over, the large piece of furniture banging against the floor. Nothing underneath it but dust and lint.

"Mrs. Williams?" Jones eyed the overturned sofa.

"There has to be a message. She...she would tell me. It has to be here, Jones."

"A message?"

Bianca nodded, trying to think of where it would be. Suddenly, her eyes widened, "Her office! It has to be there. Jones, we have to go to her office!"

"Whoa...headquarters? Ma'am, we can't go to her office."

Bianca stumbled over to him, a frantic gleam in her eye, "We have to. She must have left it there."

"Mrs. Williams...if she left you a message...wouldn't she have put it somewhere you could find it? You'd never go to her office." Jones tried to follow her thought process.

"No, it has to be there."

"There's nothing there, really. Agent Stone tends to bring her work home with her."

"No! It isn't here. It has to be there!"

"What?"

The message!"

"A message? What kind of message?"

"About what happened. Who did this. Where she is."

Jones shot the desperate woman a sad look, "The attack was unexpected. If she knew about it, we would have been better prepared. We would have apprehended them before she was shot."

"No! You don't understand. It's just like last time. She left a message about Vanessa. Vanessa had her shot! She wrote me a letter saying she wasn't going to hurt anyone anymore where she was going. I didn't understand. She was going away, but not to where I thought. She knew! She knew!"

Bianca was getting more and more frantic, her arms waving as she began to pace.

"Don't you understand? She told me. She told me, and she told me about this. I just have to find it. The message will explain everything. She's fine. She has to be fine."

"Mrs. Williams..."

"She knew what was going to happen, and she set it up, just like last time. I know, now. I'll understand the message!"

She rubbed harshly at her face, hopelessness starting to consume her.

"She would have told me! She wouldn't do this to me. Not again."

Bianca staggered back, her legs giving out. She crumbled to the ground, her back hitting the bottom of the sofa.

"She promised she wouldn't leave. She wants to be with me. She loves me. She loves me. She won't leave me."

Tears welled in her eyes. Her breathing became erratic, turning more shallow as she began to panic.

"She loves me. She wouldn't do this again. She wouldn't. She's not like that."

Jones watched on silently as the strong woman broke down into a quivering mass. Her watery brown orbs seemed to stare off blankly at some unseen person, her words slurring with each fallen tear. Feeling a pang in his chest, he carefully walked over to her and knelt down. Hesitantly, he wrapped his arms around her shaking body, attempting to offer some form of comfort.

"We love each other. We're finally going to be together."


	33. Chapter 31

Thanks for reading everyone!

Alana21: Thanks for reviewing. I am very happy to hear you enjoy the story. I will most certainly continue it. :)

Maxi-Luca: Wowsers, thanks for two great reviews/feedback. I am very excited to see another person is interested in FAB, and I am so happy you are reading my story. I do agree with you about Frankie/Maggie. Frankie always seemed way more interesting of a character to me. She was sort of a grey character, flawed yet wanting to do good (a least by Bianca). And yes, she did help Bianca become a stronger person/character. With the FBI/CIA thing, the FBI is more of a law enforcement agency while the CIA is primarily intelligence. Considering this is a criminal matter, the FBI were chosen to go in (and also because Frankie works for them and needed to be in Paris) ;)

Oh, and no worries. This is being continued.

* * *

It was over.

The surgeries had been successful...somewhat. The bullets had been removed and the wounds stitched up. But Frankie had lost a lot of blood. There had been so much blood spilling out of her body while she laid on that table. Bright crimson red coated everything as the doctors and nurses hovered around her unmoving form. Her pulse was weak. It had disappeared on the way up to surgery, and they had lost her once on the table. For one agonizing minute, the unending sound of her heart stopping echoed throughout the tiny room.

Maggie could still hear it. It buzzed in her ears long after she had left and scrubbed her sister's blood off her hands. She looked down at them, now clean and smelling of disinfectant. But her eyes could still see the flecks of red under her fingernails, the miniscule splotches forming into bloody pools in her mind's eye.

She shook her head, ridding the image from her brain. She crossed her arms, hiding her hands from sight. Her shoes squeaked against the polished linoleum floor of the hospital, her feet guiding her down a row of closed door rooms. As she passed by each one, a quick glance through the uncovered windows showed patients of all shapes and sizes resting, tubes and machines hooked to their prone bodies.

Numbers whizzed by as she moved along, counting down until she finally reached room 305. Her feet abruptly stopped. Her hands clenched into tight fists, bulging beneath her crossed arms. Her jaw tensed and muscles tightened.

She couldn't do this. Not now.

When she had first seen her sister surrounded by those doctors and nurses, her mind went blank and her training took over. Inside that room, with her twin's life hanging in the balance, she did what she had been taught to do. No emotions. No outside thoughts or worries. Just focus on the job. Help the patient. Adrenaline had kicked in and she went to work, helping the attending save the woman's life.

But that was then. Now, the adrenaline was gone. The ability to lose herself within the job was gone. It was just her, Maggie. Maggie and her twin sister Frankie. Frankie, who was hooked up to those machines and tubes, just like the other patients. Frankie, who might be dying a few feet away from her. Frankie, whose blood rested underneath her fingernails and had covered her hands.

Maggie shook her head again and unwound her arms. She slowly stepped up to the window, her tired brown eyes peering in at the unconscious agent. The other woman was dressed in the standard hospital gown now. Before though, her body had been covered in a t-shirt. The white had been completely gone, turned instead into a dark red. They had cut the cloth away, revealing bleeding holes in the weak flesh.

The doctor's breath hitched at the memory of cutting the shirt away, of holding the dripping scraps as her look-a-like fought for her life. She turned away from the window, unable to continue looking at the girl. She was alive. They had saved her life, at least for now. These next few days would decide whether she stayed with them or left for the next world.

A harsh snort sounded. Wasn't that ironic, considering she was supposed to be dead anyways. Yeah, the girl whose life she had just saved was supposed to be buried in the ground. Maggie spun around, her palms coming up to rest on the glass as a bitter smirk crossed her features.

"That's just like you, Frankie. You just show up and need me to bail you out of trouble. Just like always. You did whatever you wanted, and I had to clean up the mess."

She turned her head away, her lips pursing as she rocked on her heels.

"Why are you here? What are you doing here? You go and get yourself killed, but I didn't see it. So, what? You do it all over again so I can see it? Are you punishing me for something? I loved you and you...damn it!"

She pushed away from the glass and stepped back. Her hands flew into the air.

"You made me think you were dead! You...you went off and left, and you didn't care, did you? You never cared about what you did, what you caused. It was all about what you could get. Never look back, right? That's what you always said. Never look back. You left and never looked back."

She began to pace, her arms crossing and uncrossing.

"You were alive this whole time. I mourned you. I visited your grave. I prayed for you. I loved you. And what...you were off messing around doing who knows what. Probably still partying and getting in trouble. You always did that. Always had to be the one in handcuffs, never doing the right thing."

She stopped walking, her hands trembling. She turned her head to look at her twin, sadness crossing her face.

"Why? Why did you do that? You didn't have to do that."

She moved back to the window, her face inches from the glass.

"I would have helped you. I always helped you. You didn't have to go and do this. I-I know we didn't talk, but I would have been there for you. We were sisters. We're twins. We look out for each other."

She wiped her eyes, her breath catching in her throat.

"I-I know we weren't close. We hadn't been close for a long time. But I loved you, Franks. I loved you, and I would have taken care of you. We promised when we were kids that we would always look out for each other. Why didn't you let me do that? Huh?"

A bitter chuckle escaped her lips.

"You didn't because you didn't care. You were too busy being some tough street kid. You were too busy conning people. You didn't care. This proves it. You never cared about anyone. If you did, you would have told us you were alive!"

She turned her back to the window, her lab coat rustling with the movement. Pain radiated from her eyes.

"You left us. You left me. You left...you left Bianca. God, she was so messed up after you died. Did you care about that? About what that would do to her? Another mess I had to clean up. And I did. I was there for her, Frankie. I cared more about her than you ever did. I never would have done that to her. I never would have done that to anyone."

She stormed away from the window, her hands shakily running through her long dark hair.

"This is just like you. You do something stupid and expect me to let it go and forgive you. You didn't mean to, right? You were only having a little fun. You were only lifting something little. It was their fault, not yours."

She whirled around, shouting at the closed door.

"I talked to you! I would talk to you about my life. About everything. I thought you were listening to me. But no, you were out getting shot! Because you didn't care!"

She rushed up to the window, slamming her fists against it.

"You should have told me! You're alive, Frankie! You're alive! Why didn't you...how could...didn't you love me? Didn't you? I didn't want you gone. I didn't want you to die. It would have been ok. So, you messed up again. You went with Vanessa and got caught up in drugs and stuff. I would have forgiven you. I cared, Frankie. Didn't you know that? We never said it, but I loved you. Didn't you love me?"

Her fists slid down the glass as she rested her forehead against the window.

"I missed you so much. You were my sister. I loved you. Why did you go away. Why did you leave us? And B-Bianca, god, I thought you loved her. Everyone said you did, even Vanessa. How could you do that to her? I might not be with her anymore, but I did love her. I still care about her. What you did to her, was wrong. It was stupid and wrong and...why, Frankie? What happened? Who...who shot you?"

She rubbed her hands up and down the window, a grimace on her face.

"No. No, it doesn't matter. You didn't care. You didn't care about any of us. Why should I give a damn about you? I always...I always cared about you. You were a screw-up and, you know what, maybe everyone was right. They all said you'd end up like this, alone and with nothing. And you know what? I agreed with them. I knew you were a screw-up. I knew it."

Her voice raised as she stood straighter.

"Yeah, that's right, Frankie. I knew it!"

Just as quickly as her anger came though, it left again, causing her to lean against the glass.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. You know I didn't mean that. You make me so angry sometimes, though. I know I let you down. But I wouldn't do that again. If you had called me and told me what was happening, I would have been there. We would have had time together. We...we wouldn't be here now, like this. Didn't you want that?"

She turned her head, her gaze landing on the gray door handle. Stepping away from the window, she hesitantly approached the door. Her hand reached out, her fingertips touching the cool metal. She swallowed thickly, her hand trembling with emotion. She pursed her lips, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. With a painful jerk, she pulled her hand away from the handle and cradled it against her chest.

"I'm sorry, I can't. I can't." she mumbled and turned away. Without a backwards glance she sprinted down the hallway, her head bowed as tears spilled across her cheeks.

Ally was sitting in an empty waiting room, the hard plastic chairs causing her back to hurt with each passing minute. She let out a sigh and shifted, crossing her legs. It had been hours since her girlfriend had run off with the bloody look-a-like. Ally chewed on her bottom lip. Had that been the woman she had seen so long ago? Who was she? Maggie had mentioned a name, Frankie, as she went running off. But...Maggie had only told her about Frankie once. She didn't go into much detail, it had seemed difficult for the short brunette to delve into her history, but she had said Frankie was dead. But dead people didn't usually show up on the emergency room warm and with a pulse.

She was worried. What was going on? But more importantly, how was Maggie? Maggie was an excellent doctor, and she was only partially biased on that, but this wasn't a normal patient. This was her sister.

As her thoughts started to drift back to her possible meeting with the other Stone twin, looking for clues into the identity of the woman, a blurred figure caught the corner of her eye. Ally glanced up to see Maggie sprinting into the waiting room, her arms crossed around her body, holding on tight.

She stood up immediately, concern in her voice, "Maggie?"

The brunette stopped short, her feet swiftly changing direction. Then, she was hurtling into the redhead. Ally wrapped her arms around the doctor, feeling sobs wrack the small frame.

"Shh. It's going to be ok. Do you want to talk about it?"

Maggie shook her head, burrowing further into the comforting embrace.

* * *

Bianca stiffened, her tears slowing down until they finally stopped. She took a few deep calming breaths, composing herself as best she could. Jones unwrapped his arms, awkwardly standing up as he noticed the evening breaths.

In. Out. In. Out. Her breaths kept up this rhythm, providing a small amount of comfort to the tension wracking her body. She needed to be strong, for Frankie. She couldn't help her like this. She needed to find out what happened. She needed to know why someone would shoot at the agent outside of Miranda's...Miranda!

"I need to go home. I need to be with my children." Bianca dug her hands into the floor, pushing her body into a standing position.

She needed to know what happened and help Frankie, but she needed to be with her children. Miranda...Miranda had been there. She might have seen, god, she might have seen what happened. Her baby girl might have seen Frankie getting shot.

They had to leave, now.

"I'll drive, Mrs. Williams. If...if you'll give me the keys." Jones held out his hand.

She handed him the keys, her thoughts already back with her oldest daughter. If Miranda had seen Frankie shot...the mother prayed that her child did not have to experience such a terrifying thing.

The ride back to the apartment took a little longer. Jones drove within the speed limit, his eyes scanning the area. As soon as they pulled up to the building, though, he was sprinting after the mother once again. They ran to the elevator and down the hall, the distraught woman breezing past Barnes as he opened the door.

Without thought, Bianca rushed to the bedrooms. Her eyes found Gabrielle in her crib, restlessly swaying back and forth in sleep. She stepped up to the crib and snagged the blanket, lowering it gently on top of the infant. Gabrielle whimpered, her tiny arms reaching out for something...or someone...not there. Bianca ran a hand over the baby's head and bent down to give her a kiss before leaving the room.

Walking into the living room, she found Miranda. The little girl was sitting sullenly on the sofa, her knees bent up to her chest. Her arms were wrapped around her legs, and her forehead rested against the tops of her knees, her hair obscuring her face from view. The man who had arrived with Jones was sitting on a nearby chair, a bored look across his face as he flipped his phone open and closed.

Slowly, Bianca approached her daughter, taking in the sad form. As she reached the little girl, she knelt down in front of her, her body wedged between the sofa and the coffee table. She tenderly raised her hands, laying one on top of the child's head and the other on her leg.

"Miranda, honey. Can you look at me, please?"

Miranda didn't move.

"Please, baby. Please, look at me."

A low mumble could be heard.

"What was that?" Bianca gently ran a hand through the girl's hair as she pressed a kiss to her bowed head.

Miranda lifted her head, her eyes peeking up at the tall woman, "Why didn't we go back?"

Bianca took in a breath and tightened her hold on the girl's leg, "It's not safe, honey. We have to stay here. It's ok, though. It's going to be ok."

Miranda shook her head, "No."

"Yes it is, baby. I promise."

"No!" Miranda flung her head up. Her eyes blazed as her body uncurled, forcing her mother's hands to fall to the sofa."It's not! We left. We left Frankie!"

Stuart jumped in surprise at the outburst while Bianca gazed sadly at the girl. "Honey, they had to..."

"No! We left Frankie! We left Frankie! We hafta go back!" Miranda yelled, trying to get her mother to understand.

"It's going to be ok. She'll be ok." Bianca bit her lip, trying to remain calm in front of the child.

"No!" Miranda hopped to her feet and vaulted off the side of the sofa, "I'm going!"

"Miranda stop right there!"

"I'll help her. I'll help Frankie."

"Miranda!" Bianca grabbed at the girl, halting her from leaving the room.

Miranda struggled in the tight grip, her hands reaching towards the door, "Noooo! Let me go! Frankie needs help!"

"Hey, you're not leaving. Sit down and shut up!" Stuart stood up, his voice stern.

"Don't you dare talk to my daughter like that." Bianca ordered, her eyes shifting to the agent.

Stuart sighed and threw up his hands, "Whatever." He stomped out of the room.

"Miranda, calm down, sweetie." Bianca focused back on the struggling child.

"Mommy, we need ta help her. Frankie's hurt."

"I know baby, I know. But we need to stay here."

"She fell. Mommy, she fell again. She's hurt."

Bianca sucked in a ragged breath. She had seen it. Miranda had seen Frankie being shot. She clenched her jaw and pulled harder on the child, pulling her back against her body. "I know, but we have to stay here. She'd want you to stay here, where it's safe."

"No! Frankie protects me. I want Frankie!" Miranda used all her strength and flung herself away from her mother. Her small body tumbled to the floor, but she quickly scrambled to her feet. Seeing this, Jones blocked the exit with his body, cutting off the girl's escape route. Barnes followed with a few chairs, setting them up as a barrier in the doorway.

"Let me go! Frankie!" Miranda swung at the chairs, trying to move them. It was all in vain. They wouldn't budge. "Frankie!"

Bianca watched through teary eyes as her oldest ran away from the chairs, her tiny hands grabbing on to anything and throwing it to the ground in frustration and anger. Her daughter had never thrown a tantrum like this before. Of course, her daughter had never...had never witnessed anyone being seriously hurt before. It took all her strength not to break down once again at the sight of her daughter's pain. But she had to stay strong. Miranda couldn't see her crumble. That would confirm the child's worst fears.

Miranda stormed over to the mantle, jumping as high as she could and swatting the picture frames to the floor. The frames cracked, smiling faces marred by long jagged scars. She kicked at the chair and tore at the fabric. Her eyes were red, her lungs panting with emotion.

"Miranda, stop." Bianca spoke. She knew from experience that breaking things would not take away the pain.

"Mommy! We gotta help Frankie!" Miranda turned to her mother, her chocolate eyes zeroing in on the woman.

"Miranda, honey..."

"No! Grandma says we help those we love. I love Frankie."

"Miranda..."

"You love Frankie, too."

Bianca's throat tightened, and she swallowed roughly. "Honey..."

"No! Help those we love. Help Frankie."

"We can't, baby. We can't." Bianca couldn't hold back the tears anymore. They trickled down her face, tracing well known paths.

Miranda's tiny legs gave out, her mind and body exhausted. She huddled against the chair, "There was loud noises and Frankie fell. She wouldn't get up. I yelled, and she wouldn't get up."

Bianca dropped to her knees and crawled to her grieving daughter, wrapping her arms around her quivering body in a tight hug.

"She wouldn't get up, Mommy. They made her fall. They hurt Frankie. I-I hate them. I hate them."

Bianca rocked them back and forth, kissing the top of her head.

As the mother and daughter cried in each other's arms, Barnes held the phone to his ear, a look of concentration on his face. After a few moments, he snapped it shut and turned to his fellow agents.

"A neighbor called for the police after hearing gunshots. Agent Stone was taken to a local hospital. We found her."


	34. Chapter 32

I'm not sure this is such a good idea, Mrs. Williams." Jones spoke unsure.

Bianca defiantly crossed her arms, her eyes staring hard at the young man, "It's been two days, Agent Jones. You know where she is. There is no reason you cannot let us see her."

Jones cleared his throat, "Well, actually, it's not that safe if we let you..."

"I need to see her, Jones."

"I understand that you want to see Agent Stone, Ma'am, but we can't let you go there. It was enough letting you go to her apartment. This is nowhere near being safe."

Bianca walked up to him, stopping a few inches away from his nervous countenance. She unfolded her arms and pointed a finger at the hallway the bedrooms were located at. Her voice shook as she spoke in low tones.

"You tell my little girl that she can't see Frankie. You tell her. She thinks she's dead. Do you get that? She thinks Frankie is dead."

"Mrs. Williams..."

"I won't have my daughter go through that. Do you hear me? I will not watch my daughter go through what I did."

"I know this is tough for you. It's not easy for us, either." Jones darted his eyes between the tense mother and where her hand pointed.

"My baby saw her get shot, and you did nothing about it. You did nothing to save her. I won't let you hurt my daughter. She's only six!"

"Ma'am..."

"She's six, damn it! She loves Frankie. She loves her." Bianca voice began to crack. "She loves her. Just let her see her. Please. She's my world, Jones. My children are my life. I can't have them going through life thinking someone they love, that they look up to as another...another parent, is dead."

Jones swallowed and took a step back. He chewed nervously on his lip, wishing there was someone there to tell him what to do. He wasn't ready for this. He wasn't ready to deal with grieving mothers and murdering criminals. Nowhere in the textbooks did it talk about witnessing your boss lying in her own pool of blood. It didn't give a step-by-step procedure on how to leave her there to save someone else. It sure as hell didn't tell you how to cope with having no leader and a charge that was in love with the one you left behind.

He looked deeply into her eyes, the browns swirling with fear and sadness. They begged him to let them go. He could still hear the ghostly echoes of Miranda Montgomery's voice as he dragged her away from the gunfight. He could hear her broken screams as she watched them drive away from the woman she had spent day after day with. The woman who might have given her life for the child.

Blinking, he took a deep breath and tried to offer a look of reassurance, "If I let you go see Agent Stone...it could only be for a few minutes. You're not supposed to leave this apartment."

Bianca's shoulders fell in relief as she heard the agent giving in. "Just let us see her. We need to make sure she's ok."

"I'll have Stuart get the car ready. We'll leave in a few minutes." Jones reached for his cellphone.

Bianca nodded and swiftly turned. She quickly strode down the hallway and into Miranda's room. As she entered, her eyes landed on the little girl. She sat hunched over on her bed, her knees drawn up to her chest. She stared blankly down at the pink comforter, a doll clutched in her hands. This was how she had been for the past day. After Bianca was able to calm her down, the child had cried. She had cried for so long. Then, the anger returned. A quick glance at the trashcan showed the broken pieces of the lamp that used to be on the child's desk.

Bianca knocked lightly on the door and stepped inside, eyes squarely on the depressed form. She slowly moved further into the room, her daughter not acknowledging her presence.

"Miranda, honey, I have some good news."

The tiny brunette shifted her body, turning so her back faced her mother. She sniffled and wiped at her nose before tightening her grip on the smiling doll.

Bianca took in a shuddering breath as she approached the bed. Hitting the edge of the pink piece of furniture, she reached out a hand, letting it land gently on top of the small head.

"Sweetie, Frankie's going to be ok. She's ok."

She felt the head shake underneath her palm, "No. Don't lie."

"It's true, honey. She's at the hospital. She's going to be fine."

Miranda leaned forward, her mother's hand slipping away, "We left her."

"I know, baby. I know they left her. But I promised she would be ok, didn't I? She is. We're going to go see her. Do you want to see Frankie?"

Hearing those words, Miranda lowered her shoulder and craned her neck to look back at the woman, "We're gonna see Frankie?"

Bianca smiled softly at her, "Yes, honey. We're going to see Frankie."

"Really?" she asked in the smallest voice Bianca had ever heard her use.

"Yes, really. We are going to see Frankie."

It took all of two seconds for this to fully register in the child's mind. As the words took effect, she jumped up, her eyes wide. Tiny hands flailed as she dashed across the bed and flung herself off, her feet slamming into the floor. She rushed to the desk where her shoes had been tossed. With frantic fingers she tugged the tiny sneakers onto her feet, her hands fumbling with the strings.

Bianca laughed at her daughter's exuberance. Miranda looked over at her, one shoe tied while the other was half-way on.

"Mommy, hurry up! We gotta see Frankie!"

Bianca could only smile at the change in mood. She sent a silent prayer up to whoever was listening that this helped. She didn't think the young girl could handle losing Frankie, especially this way. A hitch in her chest reminded her that the young Montgomery wasn't the only one who would be devastated if Frankie died. But she wouldn't think like that. Frankie was fine. She was in the hospital, and she was going to live. She had to hold on to that. Because if she didn't, if she stopped to think about what this all could mean...she just couldn't. Because doing that would be admitting defeat, and Bianca wasn't ready to let the agent go. Not now.

"Mommy! Let's go!" Miranda grasped onto her mother's hands and pulled. She dug her now sneaker clad heels into the carpet and tilted back, using all her weight to tug the woman towards the door.

"I'm coming. I'm coming. We have to get your sister first, though." Bianca let herself be dragged to the door.

"Gabby! We gotta go see Frankie!" Miranda shouted, leading them to her little sister's room. She clambered over to the crib and lifted herself up by the sides of the infant's bed. She peered down at the gurgling face, "Wake up! Let's go!"

"Miranda, get down before you hurt yourself." Bianca slid up beside her and picked up the giggling baby.

Miranda rolled her eyes and shrugged as she jumped down, "Let's go!"

She raced out into the living room and to the front door, Bianca right behind her. Jones was waiting for them, a small smile crossing his face at the sight of the eager family.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

Miranda glared up at him. She squinted her eyes and pursed her lips. This was the man who made her leave Frankie. She placed her hands on her hips and gave him a stern look, "You taking me to Frankie?"

Jones raised his eyebrows in surprise at the display of attitude, "Yes, I am."

Miranda stared at him for a few more moments before nodding her head, "Good." Then, she pushed past him and opened the door, barely giving the adults time to grab coats before running after her.

They made it down to the car in record time, Miranda seeming to be on a mission. Stuart gave them a once-over, but quickly shifted his eyes to the road as Bianca glared at him, still angry over what he had said to her daughter the day Frankie was shot. The family bundled into the backseat, Gabrielle in Bianca's lap while Miranda bounced near the window. Jones dropped into the passenger seat up front. Stuart put the car in gear and pulled away, both agent's scouring the area for any suspicious movements.

Bianca leaned back into her seat. It felt like a heavy weight was leaving her heart every second they got closer to the hospital. She could feel Miranda restlessly squirming beside her, probably debating whether or not it would be faster if she hopped out and ran to the place. Hitting the door locks just in case, Bianca closed her eyes. Memories flashed across the backs of her eyelids.

_Bianca clung to her sobbing daughter, offering what little comfort she could, "Shh. It's ok. It's going to be ok."_

_The sound of voices reached her ears, and she carefully lifted her head. Miranda nestled further into her arms, her tears staining the red sweater. The voices soon turned into faces as a confused Reese appeared behind the stacked chairs._

"_What the hell is going on? Who are you people?" she glared at the men. One of them tried to explain they were Cambias security personnel. The blonde grabbed at the chairs, pushing them out of the way. Seeing her wife huddled on the floor, worry filled her voice as she tore at the barrier, "Bianca? What's wrong?"_

_All Bianca could do was watch her, unable to form the words to describe what had happened, what was still happening. Reese finally got passed the chairs and rushed forward, "Bianca? Is it the children? Are they ok?"_

_Bianca nodded, hugging Miranda closer. Reese dropped to her knees next to them, concerned eyes taking in the scene, "Bianca? What's...Miranda? Is that Miranda? What's going on?"_

_Bianca shook her head, eyes closing as she placed another kiss on the child's face. Reese wrapped her arms around them, "What's going on? Why are you crying? Where's Frankie?"_

_Hearing the name, Miranda pushed away from the adults, angry tear filled eyes burning, "Let me go!"_

_Reese shot a look at Bianca before reaching out to Miranda, "What? Miranda..."_

_The girl swatted at the hands, "No! Don't touch me!" She spun around and sprinted away, the sound of a door slamming following her departure._

_Reese turned back to Bianca, confusion written cross her face, "What's going on?" _

_Bianca just shook her head again, crying harder as the blonde's arms cocooned around her._

_

* * *

_

"_She was shot? Someone shot our nanny?" Reese gasped in shock. "Is she ok?"_

"_I-I don't know." Bianca leaned into the comforting arms. Her mind flashed back to a different pair of arms that had held her. A pair that were connected to a smirking face with shinning brown eyes that somehow managed to take her breath away. As soon as she thought about them, a wave of guilt crashed through her. She was with Reese, in Reese's arms. She mentally shook her head. Yes, she was in Reese's arms, but she wanted to be in Frankie's. She didn't care anymore. She wanted to be with Frankie. Frankie...who could be dead._

_A sob shook the brunette's body, and she fought back against the tears. Reese tightened her hold, "This is insane. I can't believe someone would do that. Thank god none of you were hurt."_

_Bianca bit her tongue so hard she tasted blood. Reese didn't know how much Frankie meant to them. She couldn't._

"_This is dangerous. I don't want you guys leaving this apartment." Reese went on._

"_What?" Bianca pulled back slightly._

"_Those guys who shot Frankie could be anywhere. They might come after you. You shouldn't go anywhere."_

"_What about F-Frankie?"_

"_I know it's sad, but I'm sure she'll be fine. I'll try to contact her family. Don't worry about having to find a new nanny, either. I'll look into it. You just relax."_

"Mommy! Unlock the door!"

Bianca blinked her eyes, Miranda's tiny hands pulling at her coat. Glancing up, she saw the hospital entrance a few feet away. Willing away the memories, she hit the unlock button, her hand darting out to snag the back of Miranda's coat before she could go flying off.

"Stay with me, Mimo."

"I want to see Frankie." she kicked her feet.

"I know. We'll see her soon. You have to wait for us, so we can see her together."

Miranda exhaled loudly, "Fine."

Bianca thanked Jones as he opened her door. She cradled Gabrielle in her arms and walked around to the other side of the vehicle. Miranda latched on to her hand and began her mission of finding Frankie. It only took them a few minutes, the agents knowing exactly where their superior was, to reach the room. Seeing the door, Miranda paused. Bianca peered down at her, seeing an apprehensive look cover the child's face. Miranda let her hand go as she slowly walked to the closed door. Bianca followed, her own sense of fear and anticipation filling her. What would they find on the other side?

Miranda curled her fingers around the cold handle and pulled down. The door swung open, revealing the hospital bed. A body lay as still as a rock on the bed, different tubes hooked to it. Miranda glanced back at her mother before shuffling in, her brown eyes carefully taking everything in.

Bianca followed, forcing down her own emotions. She needed to focus on her children. She needed to be strong for them. She noticed a chair near the wall and pulled it towards the bed. The plastic legs scraped loudly against the floor, causing Miranda to jump.

"It's ok, Mimo." Bianca reassured her, "How is she?"

Miranda stepped up to the bed. There was Frankie. She gulped at the sight of her friend. Bruises marred the tanned flesh, tubes sticking out of her body and hooked up to noisy machines. She sniffed and swiped her arm against her nose. With shaky fingers, she hesitantly touched an unmoving hand.

Nothing happened.

"Frankie? It's me. It's kid."

No reaction.

Miranda looked over at her mother with a frown, "Why won't she say anything."

"She's...she's sleeping, honey." Bianca watched from the chair.

"But...why won't she wake up?" Miranda poked at the hand again.

"She needs to rest. It's-It's like that story you like, Sleeping Beauty. She's sleeping."

A look of horror, "But she slept for like a hundred years!"

"No, it's ok. She's won't sleep that long. You know Frankie. She couldn't go that long without playing with you. She just needs to rest and get better." Bianca tried to ease the child's fears.

Miranda nodded her head, "Frankie plays with me. It's her favorite thing in the whole world. She told me so."

"I bet she did. She loves being with you and Gabrielle."

She looked over at her mother, "But she'll wake up...right?"

Bianca nodded, "When she is feeling better, she'll wake up. She just needs a little time to get better."

Miranda turned back to the sleeping body. Her eyes roamed the bed, taking everything in. Then, she gently placed her hands on the edge and pushed. She lifted herself onto the bed near Frankie's legs, her frame landing softly against the hard mattress.

"Be careful, Miranda." Bianca moved to stand. Her daughter's look stopped her though.

"I won't hurt Frankie."

Bianca settled back down, wary eyes watching as the tiny girl crawled up beside the woman. As carefully as she could, Miranda curled up against Frankie, her hands snuggling against the woman's side as she rested her head on a gowned shoulder.

"H-Hi, Frankie." she spoke quietly. She waited for a reaction, her eyes focused on the unmoving face. After a moment, she began to speak again, her small body scooting further against Frankie's.

"I'm sorry you got hurt. I wanted ta go back, but no one would let me. I hope you get better. Mommy's here. Gabby too. We want you to get better, so you can play with us. You gotta go to my recital again."

She sniffled and nestled her head on the agent's chest, careful of the wires poking out.

"You gotta get better. Mommy's sad. Remember, Mommy's not supposed ta be sad. You said Mommy can't cry. So, wake up so she won't."

Hesitantly, she slid an arm around Frankie's belly, her hand clutching at the hospital gown.

"I'm scared, Frankie. You gotsta wake up. You just gotta. You're my best friend."

Suddenly remembering something, the little girl brought her hands to her neck. She fiddled with the clasp on her necklace, frustration showing on her face. Finally getting it unhooked, she held the necklace out, the gold heart locket gleaming in the light.

"Here. You wear this." She tenderly hooked the necklace around the agent's neck. "If you wake up and I'm not here, you'll know I love you. Don't forget, 'kay?"

A knock at the door revealed Agent Jones, an apologetic look on his face, "We should be going."

Miranda frowned. With sad eyes, she hugged Frankie's neck and placed a sloppy kiss on her cheek, "Get better. I'll be back soon."

Reluctantly, she climbed off the bed, trudging passed her mother and out the door. Bianca watched her eldest go, a lump forming in her throat at the display she had just witnessed. With a shuddering breath, she glanced at Jones, the man still standing in the door.

"W-Would you take her for a second?" She held Gabrielle out to him.

Startled, he took the baby, awkwardly holding her. Understanding what she was asking for, he stepped out next to Miranda, closing the door behind him. As the door gently shut, Miranda could be heard giving him instructions on how to hold the infant.

At the click of the door, Bianca faced the sleeping Frankie. She went to her, falling to her knees at the bedside. Her throat tightened as she clasped the cool hand in her own. She brought it up to her lips, pressing a tender kiss against the marred skin.

"God Frankie, what did you get yourself into? You're such a troublemaker, you know that?" she lightly spoke, holding the hand against her face. "Miranda really wants you to wake up. You better. You know I let my little girls get whatever they want."

Her voice began to choke, unable to continue with the light tone.

"God, I love you so much, Frankie. Why did you have to get hurt? You could have run or something. Anything but this. Why..." A tiny sob escaped her lips, and she held Frankie's hand against her mouth, fighting to regain her composure. Her eyes caught on the locket, and she clenched her jaw against the onslaught of emotion.

"I love you. We're going to try this again. You can't back out now, Stone. I'm holding you to it. You have my heart. You have my children's hearts. Please...d-don't break them."

With trembling lips, she bent over and pressed a kiss against Frankie's cheek. Tilting her head, she ghosted her lips across Frankie's. "Wake up, Sleeping Beauty."

With a choked sob, Bianca stood up. She set Frankie's hand back down at her side and wordlessly made her way to the door.

As she stepped out and closed the door behind her, Jones handed Gabrielle back to her. Bianca took her, cuddling her close and giving her a kiss on the forehead.

"Mommy, can we come back tomorrow?" Miranda asked as they began to walk away.

"We'll see."

"Can we bring some Cap'n Crunch? Frankie likes it. She might want some when she wakes up."

Bianca ran her finger's through the girl's hair, "We'll pick some up on the way home."

* * *

Maggie wandered down the empty hallway, hands clasped nervously in front of her. With her head down, she didn't see the black-suited man until she knocked into him.

"Sorry." she muttered, quickly moving on.

"It's fine." Stuart said as he searched for the car keys in his pocket.

Making her way to room 305, Maggie unclasped her hands and put them in the pockets of her lab coat. It had been two days since her sister had been brought into the hospital. Two days since she had helped save her life. Two days since she had collapsed in Ally's arms.

Reaching the door, Maggie steeled herself. It had been two days since she had been near her sister. She had passed by that door nearly a million times, but each time her hand shook so hard as she approached the handle that she couldn't open the door.

With a flash of courage, the young doctor pushed open the door, standing in the threshold as it swung open. She blinked at the sight of her resting twin. The machines echoed loudly in the silent room, reminding the world that yes, Frankie Stone was still alive.

Maggie grimaced as her shoes squeaked against the linoleum. She hurried over to the end of the bed, picking up the chart that waited there.

"Let's see how you're doing today." she glibly said, flipping the chart open. Scanning the notes, she glanced up at the machines to see what they said. "No change huh? Don't want to wake up?"

Setting the chart back down, Maggie crossed her arms, her eyes darting around the room. "You have one of the best doctors in the country working your case, you know that? But, you have to show some change for him to be able to help you."

The room stayed silent, beeps her only response.

Frustrated, she ran a hand through her long hair, tugging at the ends. Spotting the chair pulled up to the bed, she walked over and sat down in it, crossing her legs and leaning an arm against the bed. The night before, as she laid in Ally's arms, she had planned out everything she would say to her wayward sibling. But now, sitting next to her, she couldn't think of a single thing to say.

"This would be a lot easier if you were awake," Maggie breathed out, "You always had something to say. Granted, it was usually crass and full of attitude, but you at least would say something."

She rested more weight against her arm, searching for something to talk about.

"The ER's been kinda slow today. Not too much going on. Of course, nothing can really top seeing my supposedly dead sister arriving with a couple of gun shot wounds."

Maggie grinned, mentally hearing Frankie's reply.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't act like you weren't making an entrance. I'm sure you could have come up with a better way to get my attention. Like, calling me, or something."

Eying the blanket, the doctor tucked the edges around the sleeping body, smoothing out any wrinkles.

"Better tuck these in. You always slept like you were fighting somebody, kicking and punching. Don't want you knocking them off and getting cold."

She rested her hand on Frankie's belly, the other coming to rest on top of the agent's hand.

"Remember that time we had to share a bed. You had been jumping on yours and it broke? And you had been the one jumping on it. You kept saying I did it, but you were the one. Don't think I didn't forget. Anyways, you had to share my bed. You moved so much, you kicked me off! You actually kicked me, and I fell off the bed. I woke you up, and you shrugged that shrug of yours and said if I had a problem I could go sleep somewhere else. It was my bed!"

Maggie broke into laughter, the memories of that night flashing in her mind. Her grin slowly turned into a frown as the images kept coming.

"Then Mom came in. She heard me hit the floor, and it woke her out of whatever drunken stupor she had been in. She came in yelling at us for being so loud. She told us we needed to be quiet. She was so loud, I thought my ears were gonna fall off. She finally left, and I crawled back in next to you."

She placed her chin softly on the joined hands, peeking up at Frankie.

"That's when you started writing me those notes. After she yelled at us that night. Remember, you would leave me messages in those books. You circled all different kinds of letters and words, and I would work to put it together."

A deep sigh reverberated around the room.

"I miss that. I miss being with my sister. I'm sorry for yelling at you. You have to admit, you deserve some of it, though. There's so much we need to talk about. I know, we don't talk about our pasts, but I'll do it if you do. Come on, you can't pass up an offer like that."

Feeling a vibration against her side, Maggie reached down and unclipped her pager. Reading the message, she clipped it back on her belt and stood up. She lightly squeezed the hand beneath her own.

"I have to go. I'll come back later, though."

Her words stopped as she caught sight of a glimmer. Leaning over, she saw the golden locket resting around the woman's neck.

"What's this? Was someone else here?"

Before she could attempt to open the locket, though, her pager went off again.

"Ok, ok. I'm going." She began to walk away playfully calling back, "I'll find out who gave that to you when I get back. You better not be keeping more secrets from me, Frankie. I don't want to find out you're married or something."


	35. Chapter 33

Which one?

Smiley face or rainbow?

Miranda stood before the display case, scrutinizing the selections. She brought a hand up to cup her chin, one finger tapping against her bottom lip, just like the people on tv did. Her eyes narrowed, slowly bouncing between the two choices. It had been tough, but she had finally whittled it down to two options. Now...smiley face or rainbow?

"Miranda, what are you doing?" Bianca entered the aisle, one hand pushing the stroller while the other held a blue plastic shopping basket.

Without looking away from the case, Miranda answered, "Lookin' at balloons."

Bianca walked up beside her daughter, parking the stroller against the case. Gabrielle glanced up, her eyes lighting up at the sight of the colorful helium filled creations. "You want to get a balloon for Frankie?"

Miranda nodded her head, "Yeah. When I got sick an' couldn't go to school, Claire got me a balloon an' I felt better. Maybe Frankie will feel better too."

Bianca smiled tenderly at the thoughtful girl and bent down to give her a quick hug. "I think it will too, honey. Pick one out, and we'll bring it along when we visit her."

"We're visiting Frankie today, right Mommy?"

Bianca looked down at the hopeful face, "Of course. We can't let her out of our sight for too long. Who knows what kind of trouble she can get into without us there. Now which one do you like?"

Miranda thought about it for a few moments. She tilted her head and miniature brown eyes rolled skyward. "The smiley face."

"Good choice. I like that one too." Bianca waved a hand, catching the attention of a nearby employee. She informed the young woman, as she approached, about what she wanted, the French rolling effortlessly from her tongue. Understanding, the woman walked away to a backroom. Bianca squatted down in front of Miranda and gently tugged at her pigtails. "Why don't we pick out a few more things for Frankie? We can find her things to do, so when she wakes up she's not bored."

A bored Frankie was an aimlessly restless Frankie. An aimlessly restless Frankie usually ended up either a) causing trouble, b) getting herself in trouble or c) getting herself and someone else (most of the time Bianca when they were together) in trouble. Bianca chuckled softly to herself as she remembered one time she had been hanging out with a bored Frankie.

_Rain poured down from the heavens, black clouds bleakly rolling across the sky. A faint rumble of thunder threatened a greater storm in the distance. _

"_Man Bianca, this storm is crazy." Frankie watched a newly formed waterfall fall from the overhang. _

"_It came out of nowhere. The weatherman said it was going to be sunny all day." the brunette pulled her jacket tighter around her body, a cold chill settling in the air._

"_Even I know not to trust that guy. He's never right." _

"_He's right sometimes."_

"_Yeah, when he says there's a fifty-fifty chance of rain or sun. No wait...then it snows." Frankie snickered, turning away from the miniscule Niagara and strolling over to the younger woman. _

_Bianca rolled her eyes, "I can't believe I forgot it was a holiday. Everything's closed. And with the rain, we can't go outside."_

"_So, what are we gonna do?"_

"_I don't know." _

_Frankie crossed her arms and widened her feet, rocking her body from side to side. After a few moments, she began to scuff her shoe against the concrete. Her arms uncrossed, and she pushed up the sleeves of her jacket. Then she pushed them back down._

_Bianca couldn't help but watch, a tiny grin on her face. All she could think about was how cute the other girl looked, fidgeting and moving around. She felt a tiny flutter in her belly as Frankie peered up at her out of the corner of her eyes._

"_Come on Bianca, let's do something."_

"_Like what? In case you haven't noticed, it's raining. We're kinda stuck here."_

"_Stuck? We're not stuck."_

"_No?"_

"_No."_

"_What? You don't get stuck?"_

"_As a matter of fact," Frankie took a couple of steps towards the seventeen year old, "I don't."_

_Bianca tilted her head, a gleam in her eyes, "You're stuck now."_

_She barely caught the rising eyebrow, the upturned lips, and the glint of mischief swirling in brown orbs, before she felt a hand wrap around her wrist. With a forceful tug, she stumbled forward. Toward the rain._

"_What are you doing?"_

"_Showing you we're not stuck." Another forceful yank had her near the edge of the covered dry patch of ground._

"_No, Frankie! It's raining." Bianca tried to pull back. She could feel the water in the air the closer she got to the edge, a fine mist spreading across her body._

_A charming grin flashed before another hard tug, "It's only water."_

_Then, she was out there. The roof disappeared and cold water rained down on her skin. A tiny shriek sounded in the back of her throat at the sudden onslaught. Her clothes quickly became soaked, sticking to her body and showing more of the curves that hid underneath. _

"_Frankie! It's cold!" She yelled._

_Laughter filled the air, and she looked over to see a chuckling Frankie spinning around with mirth, her arms outstretched. The runaway glanced over at the shivering girl,"Don't tell me you're afraid of a little water."_

_Bianca heard the challenge in her tone and raised her eyebrows. She ignored the cold and straightened her shoulders. With a determined look, she marched over to the gleeful girl, "I'm not afraid of a little water, Frankie. If I was, I couldn't do this." She stopped a foot away from the vagabond and kicked out her foot, connecting with a puddle and splashing water all over the dark blonde's pants._

_Frankie jumped back with a shout, her hands instinctively coming up to block the oncoming water. Bianca felt the laughter bubble up inside of her at the sight. Frankie was completely soaked. Even though her hair was pulled back, a few strands were still matted to her face. A startled look formed. "I can't believe you did that."_

"_It's just a little water. Don't tell me you're afraid."_

"_I'll show you afraid." Frankie ran at the other girl. Quick on her feet, Bianca took off, her shoes squishing soundly as she dodged away from her pursuer. As she tried to cut to the left, her feet slipped on the slick pavement. She wobbled, her arms swinging in the air as she attempted to steady herself. _

"_Gotcha." was whispered in her ear as arms circled around her waist. _

_She pried at the tight grip, laughter mixing with her words as she was dragged back, "No! Frankie! Let go."_

"_Come on, don't you want a nice shower?"_

_All of a sudden, Bianca found herself underneath the waterfall coming from the roof. She yelped, hands uselessly waving above her head, the unyielding water pouring over her. Loud laughter echoed behind her as the arms held her in place._

_Unable to think of anything but revenge, without warning, Bianca took a half step forward and swung her arms behind her, hands clasping on Frankie's sides. _

"_Oh my god!" sounded behind her as she pulled the other girl underneath the building's own Niagara Falls with her. _

_The hold on her loosened and Bianca spun in the arms, her eyes landing on the drowned version of her girlfriend. She couldn't help but giggle at the sight, the water still pounding down on their backs. Frankie looked up at her, her waterlogged arms pulling the taller girl closer, "What are you laughing at?"_

"_You. Why? You gonna do something about it?"_

_Frankie lifted up on her toes, her head leaning up, "Oh, I'll do something about it."_

_Before their lips could connect, bright lights shined on them. They both pulled back, shielding their eyes from the car's illuminations._

"_Is there a problem here?" a car door slammed shut, a policeman appearing a few seconds later._

"_What?" Frankie gave the cop a look that could only be described as a mixture of confusion, mistrust, and outright dislike._

"_Some people called saying they heard yelling and screaming. Thought somebody might be hurt." He looked back and forth between the two, "Is something going on here?"_

_Bianca hid her face in her hands as Frankie snickered, "Yeah, if you had waited a few more minutes."_

Bianca shook away the memory as her daughter carefully took the smiley face balloon from the employee. Clutching the balloon close, Miranda spoke, "What else?"

"Well, what do you like to do when you're sick?"

Miranda thought about it for a moment. Then, she moved away, guiding her family to another aisle. The trio ended up in the book section, the entire row of shelves littered with different genres. Miranda skipped off to the children's section, her expert eyes knowing exactly where to find what she was looking for.

As Miranda searched, Bianca leisurely ambled along the aisle, gaze sweeping over the selections. She stopped, noticing a small hardcover nestled behind a cheap looking paperback with the picture of a half naked man riding a horse. Bianca rolled her eyes at the cover and pushed it to the side, nimble fingers picking out the hardcover. Bringing the book up for inspection, she saw that it was a simple red cover, black words etched across the front. Shakespeare Poems and Sonnets. She blinked slowly, curious hands flipping open the pages.

"Mommy, I found it!" announced Miranda as she skidded to a stop next to her mother.

Bianca quickly closed the book and tossed it in the basket. The agent might like to read some of it when she woke up. Or...maybe...she might like to read some of it to Bianca.

The mother fought back the smile at that thought and turned her attention to her daughter. Miranda held up a large flimsy paperback, pictures of cartoon bears and butterflies on the front.

"It's so Frankie and me can color together." Miranda explained as she dropped it in the basket.

"I'm sure she'll love that." Bianca began to leave the aisle, envisioning the tough agent coloring in a coloring book, "Let's buy these things and head home."

"But Mommy, you said we could visit Frankie."

"We will. You two should take your nap first, though. That way you won't be tired when we get there."

"I won't be tired." a yawn accompanied the words. Bianca gave her a pointed look. Miranda stomped her foot and crossed her arms, "Oh, man."

The family swiftly paid for their purchases and went out to the car. Stuart, who had been following them the entire time, drove the family back to their apartment. Realizing that she hadn't seen Agent Jones all day, Bianca inquired on his whereabouts.

"He's busy." Stuart replied, no other words coming out.

Reaching the apartment, the trio walked in. Miranda kicked off her shoes and fixed her hold on the balloon.

"Mommy, can I watch Spongebob?"

"You need to take your nap." Bianca took off her shoes and lifted Gabrielle into her arms. She left the stroller by the door, deciding it would be easier to just leave it be since they would be leaving in an hour anyways.

"Can I watch first?"

Bianca cradled Gabrielle in one arm as she picked up the bag of purchases in the other, "I think you should take your nap first."

"Please." Miranda whipped out the pout she had first used with Frankie so many mornings ago.

Ok." Bianca sighed, her answer causing the little girl to bounce with happiness.

"Yes! Gabby watches too." Her tiny arms outstretched for her little sister.

"Ok, ok. Go on." Bianca nodded toward the living room.

Miranda rushed off, Bianca following at a more sedate pace. By the time she reached the room, Miranda had already turned the show on and was sitting on the sofa, her legs swinging back and forth. Bianca walked over and picked up the special chair from the floor, placing it next to Miranda. She gently set Gabrielle down in it, the girl cooing at her mother.

"Look Gabby, it's Spongebob." Miranda pointed at the screen.

Seeing the balloon tangled in the girl's fist, Bianca softly grabbed the string, "How about I put this in your room until we go."

Miranda shrugged, her focus solely on the underwater adventures of her favorite cartoon. The mother carefully untangled the colored ribbon and clasped it in her own. She then moved off down the hall, her mind on the agent in the hospital. Had she woken up yet? They would tell her if she did, wouldn't they? Was that why Jones was gone? Was he checking up on her? Receiving orders?

Nearing the bedrooms, Bianca heard a faint murmuring. Furrowing her eyebrows, she noiselessly crept forward. Who was that? No one was supposed to be home.

She found herself outside her bedroom, the door open a crack. Peeking inside, she saw a blur pacing. Squinting, she could make out long blonde hair. Reese?

"That's rich." a bitter chuckle sounded.

Bianca leaned closer to the door, confusion filling her. Why was Reese home? And who was she talking to?

"Do you even hear what you're saying? Do you?"

Pause

"No, I don't think you know what's going on. I've done my part. I've held up my end of the bargain. It's your guys who keep messing up."

Bianca held her ear next to the opening. Messing up? Who is messing up?

"You haven't done what you're supposed to do. I have more than once set-up opportunities for you to get the job done, and you keep blowing it." a defensive tone was starting to sink in.

"What are you talking about? What haven't I done? I have played this perfectly. Who got you the information? I got you everything you needed to know. You never would have had anyone inside, if it wasn't for me."

A harsh laugh, "Maybe if you found someone better, they could finish the job. It shouldn't be that hard."

Reese stopped pacing, her body outlined in the crack of the door, "What? That couldn't have happened."

"No, that has to be wrong."

"I checked her out. We both did. Moore was a nanny. She wasn't anything important, an expendable part of the set-up that you messed up."

Reese rubbed her forehead, "I don't know why she would have a gun. Maybe one of the Cambias guys gave it to her. Maybe she felt she needed it being alone in a big city. I don't know."

Bianca covered her mouth, her eyes widening. What was Reese talking about? Expendable? Messed up?

"I'm telling you, she's just a nanny. Check her out if you want to, it still doesn't change the fact that you screwed up, and we still haven't gotten this done."

Reese resumed her pace, "Yeah, she's at the hospital. Yeah, that one...room 305. Tell me if you find anything on her there. You're what? Blood and fingerprint samples? You think somethings gonna come up on that?"

Bianca clenched her fists, her knuckles turning white with the force. Reese knew something. She knew something about that attack, and someone was going to investigate Frankie. Oh god, she had to warn them. She had to get to Frankie. Fingerprints and blood...they could find out who she really was.

She spun around, the speed from her turn smacking the balloon against the wall. She paused, holding her breath as feet rushed to the door.

"Bianca? Honey? When did you get home?" Reese opened the door, a bright smile directed at her wife.

Bianca swallowed hard, schooling her expression as best she could, "Just a few minutes ago. Were you on the phone?"

"Yes, some people with work. They just can't seem to run the place without me." Reese waved the phone. She stepped forward, arms wrapping around Bianca's waist as she eyed the balloon, "I missed you. And what's with the balloon?"

Bianca willed her body to not shiver at the touch, "Miranda wanted to get it for Frankie."

Reese gave her a concerned look, "You're visiting her again? Don't you think once was enough?"

"Why not? The kids really like her, and it's good for her to have visitors."

"I know, it's just...I worry about Miranda and Gabrielle. I don't think it's good for them to be seeing someone who was shot. They're so young, and it seems very traumatic. Seeing someone lying there like that. Especially when she's not family."

Bianca bit her tongue as Reese pulled her closer, "Besides, I got a call from her family. They're going to be visiting her today. She'll have them. Let's not make our kids have to deal with that kind of horror."

Bianca nodded her head, a forced smile plastered on her face, "You're right. You're absolutely right."

"I'm glad you agree." Reese pressed their bodies together, "I really did miss you today."

"I-I missed you, too." Bianca got out, her body tensing at the full body touch. Reese leaned in and captured her lips in a kiss. Her hands came up to cup Bianca's cheeks, holding her in place as her tongue slithered between rosy red lips.

Bianca stayed still, imagining she was somewhere else with someone else. She was in the entrance-way, wrapped in Frankie's arms as they declared their feelings, their love. She was safe. She was loved.

Reese pulled back, her hands dropping to her sides. Bianca stepped back, her eyes blinking, "I-I have to go."

"What?"

"I-I forgot to deliver a memo to the office. I need to go."

"Oh, you're going back to work? That's great, honey." Reese brought their lips together again.

"Yes, so I need to go...do that. I'll be back later." Bianca started to stumble backwards. She clawed the ribbon off her hand and shoved it at Reese, "Here, take this."

Reese caught the balloon as Bianca fled to the living room. Racing to the sofa, Bianca grabbed Gabrielle, her panicked voice whispering, "Miranda, go put your shoes on. We have to go."

"Mommy, it's not over."

"Miranda Mona Montgomery, go put your shoes on right now!" Bianca ordered, her eyes darting between the hallway and the girl.

With a huff, Miranda slid off the sofa and trudged to the door. She just wanted to finish the show. A spark of worry began to fill her, though, as her mommy pulled her shoes on. The woman's body was tense, her brown orbs filled with worry and panic. Miranda sped up, throwing her shoes on quickly.

With everyone ready, Bianca raced out the door, Reese watching from the living room with a curious look. The trio bounded down the hall, practically running Stuart over.

"We have to go, now!" Bianca ran passed him.

"Mrs. Williams..."

"Take me to the hospital!"

The drive there was over in an instant, Bianca's emotions channeling into the agent. As soon as the car slowed down in the parking lot, Bianca was out the door and running into the building. A cursing Stuart sprinted after them, weaving behind the family as they navigated the hallway system.

"Mrs. Williams!" he shouted, trying to get her to slow down.

"Frankie's in danger! We have to help her!" Bianca yelled, her words causing Miranda to gasp and push her feet harder into the floor as she ran beside her mother.

"Frankie!" Miranda yelled, fear in her voice.

Reaching room 305, Bianca yanked open the door, panting heavily as she staggered inside.

No.

It couldn't be.

This wasn't happening.

Bianca fell back against the wall, her legs giving out.

The bed was empty.

Frankie was gone.


	36. Chapter 34

Maxi-Luca: Checking everyday? Wowsers, that's awesome. Happy to hear that you like the memories. There had to have been a lot more happening between FAB then they showed on tv. A memory of when they made it official? Hmmm...maybe. That is an excellent idea you have, though, of when they might have made it official. Thanks for reading!

* * *

She couldn't breathe.

Bianca's lungs gasped for air as she stumbled back against the wall, her back slamming into the hard unforgiving surface. Her legs quivered, threatening to give out at a moment's notice. Numbness seeped through her veins, making its chilling way slowly up from her feet, overtaking her legs and causing her arm to sag under the weight of the whimpering child. Everything slowed to a crawl. Sounds of shoes scraping against linoleum and announcements over the intercom filtered through a haze, as if she were underwater. Her head felt heavy, and a nauseous feeling bubbled deep in her belly.

Through all this, she couldn't tear her eyes away from the bed. The empty bed. The bed Frankie was meant to be in.

They had got her.

"Oh god. Oh god, oh god, oh god." Bianca muttered to herself. The numbness started to fade, a burning in her chest taking its place as her throat clenched shut. "No, no, no, no. God no. Frankie!"

Her voice reverberated off the walls, the terrified cry ripping itself from her throat. She threw herself away from the wall and rushed out of the room, Gabrielle clutched in her arms. Tripping through the doorway, Bianca smashed into Stuart, the agent trying to catch his breath.

"Where is she? Where?" she shot a hand out, griping his jacket and forcing him closer. Wild swirls of brown stared at him, the intensity flowing out with each passing second.

Stuart felt his jaw drop at the desperate look. Still feeling the effects of the run, he worked to form words, "Mrs...Williams...calm down."

"Tell me where she is! Do you know? Do you?"

The agent raised his hands, his eyes darting towards the open door behind her. Bianca waited, her hold on the man unwavering as she listened for an answer, for the words she needed to hear. Nothing came out except labored gasps.

Feeling the burning in her chest intensify at the lack of response, Bianca pushed Stuart away, the man falling back against a nearby wall. Headless of his surprised yelp, the brunette sprinted down the hall, eyes searching for someone who could help.

Spotting a white lab coat a few feet away, she picked up speed, skidding to a halt beside the person as her hand swung them around, the pale fingers twisted in the white material. The startled man jumped at the sudden contact, his glasses skewing at the movement.

"Where is she? Frankie Stone...Moore...where is she?"

The doctor reached up and adjusted his glasses, an uncertain look on his face, "I'm sorry miss. I don't know who you are talking about. Do you know which doctor is treating..."

Before he could finish, she tightened her grip, causing the coat to pull against the man's shoulders, "305, where is the woman from 305?"

"Miss, I don't know. If you could tell me who her doctor is..."

Releasing a frustrated yell, she spun away from him and jogged down the hall, leaving him standing there in complete befuddlement. Noticing a nurse, she ran up to the blue scrub clad woman, her heels sliding across the floor as she reached her.

"305, where is she?"

"What?" confusion filled the nurse's voice.

"Did someone take her?"

"Miss, you need to talk to her doctor."

"DID SOMEONE TAKE HER?"

The nurse stepped back at the emotional shout, "Miss, you need to calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down. Tell me where she is!"

"If you don't calm down, I will call security."

Throwing one of her hands into her long dark locks, Bianca turned away from the increasingly perturbed nurse and sped walk back towards the room. People passing by gave her weird glances, her demeanor and shouts drawing attention from the other occupants. Threading her fingers through her hair in frustration, her steps faltered as she heard another voice shouting angrily behind her.

"Who authorized this? That patient is not supposed to be moved! She needs to rest. She cannot be moving around!"

Bianca froze in place.

This was not happening.

That couldn't be her.

"Where did she get moved to? The patient is in critical condition. Moving her could cause more damage."

Bianca felt herself flinch at the harsh tone and equally frightening words. Swallowing roughly, she slowly twisted around, her eyes landing on a sight she never dreamed of seeing.

An older man, his face wrinkled and hair a light shade of gray, stood tall, his arms crossed as he listened with annoyance to the person yelling at him. It was a short woman, her long light brown hair pulled up into a ponytail. Her hands waved in the air as she became more and more agitated. Her familiar face was red with anger, and even from the distance Bianca could see her eyes were filled with worry.

Feeling her body shudder at the sight, the word left her mouth before she could stop herself.

"Maggie."

Somehow, over the rustling footsteps, beeping machines, and her own shouting, the young doctor heard her name. Glancing over in the direction it came from, she did a double take.

"Bianca?"

The taller woman brought a hand to her mouth, muffling a gasp at the familiar voice. She watched as Maggie ignored the other doctor and went up to her, concern in her voice, "Bianca, what are you doing here? Are you ok? Is Miranda hurt?"

She couldn't stop the tears, the salty drops of water trailing down her cheeks at that voice. A sob threatened to break out, and she pushed her hand harder against her mouth. All she could do was slightly shake her head.

Seeing the movement, Maggie let out a tiny sigh of relief, "Good. That's good." Her voice took on a tinge of impatience, her mind immediately going back to her missing sister, "Why are you here?"

* * *

As her mother raced away, Gabrielle secure in her arms, Miranda stood outside the door. Her tiny hands clenched into fists by her side, her mother's bone-chilling cry still sounding in her ears. Licking her lips, her mouth felt dry, like when she would go to the beach and get sand in her mouth.

Stuart stood behind her, dusting himself off after being shoved. She pretended he wasn't there, her eyes focused solely on the open doorway. Taking a hesitant step, she felt her legs tremble. Her mommy said Frankie wasn't there, but Frankie had to be there. She was there before. Where would she go?

Silently wishing she had her doll with her, Miranda felt a rush of fear course through her body as she stepped across the threshold. She was scared. The room looked so big, and the bed was so far away. She wrapped shaking arms around her belly, frightened eyes scattering around the darkened room.

She licked her lips again as she mentally talked to herself. She had to be brave. Like the pink power ranger. She could fight any bad guys that might be in there. Just like the pink power ranger. Just like Frankie. What would Frankie do?

Peering around the room one more time, she carefully walked further into the quiet space. Walking on her toes so she wouldn't make a sound, the girl made her way to the bed. Reaching the edge, she took a big gulp before crawling up on it.

Her mommy was right. Frankie wasn't there.

Where could Frankie be? Why would she go away? Miranda sat on the bed, her mind going a mile a minute. Maybe...maybe Frankie was hiding. If she was hiding, Miranda would have to find her. She let out a small sigh. There were so many places to hide there.

Peeking around the room, the child took a deep breath. She hopped off the bed and stood straight, her searching eyes taking in the area. If Frankie needed to be found, she'd find her.

With a determined stride, Miranda left the room. Stuart gazed down at her before ticking his vision back up to where her mother had run off to. Stopping outside the room, Miranda crossed her arms. If she was hiding, where would she hide?

Spotting an abandoned cart, the girl strode over to it. Dutifully, she searched high and low, swiping gloves out of the way and peering into boxes. Not seeing anything Frankie, she moved on, deciding to check every room.

The first one had an old woman in it. Her eyes were closed and her hair looked kinda blue. As the little girl jumped up beside her to get a better look, the woman spasmed, scaring the child and causing her to run out. Frankie wasn't in there. The next door had a middle-aged man behind it, his head all wrapped up like he was a mummy. His leg was raised and held up by wires and straps. It too was all wrapped up. No Frankie.

As Miranda worked her way passed the third door, she heard something. Pausing to listen more closely, she held her breath.

"Moving her could cause more damage!"

Her eyes widened as a grin broke out across her face. Frankie! Stumbling away from the partially opened door, Miranda sprinted down the hall, her tiny legs moving as fast as they could. Seeing her mother's back, she tilted her head.

There she was.

"Frankie!"

Maggie and Bianca started at the gleeful shout. Bianca's eyes widened even more as Maggie's squinted in confusion.

"Munchie?" Maggie hadn't heard that voice in so long. The voice that belonged to the little girl that she had loved so much, had thought of as her own.

"Frankie! I found you!" Miranda sprinted passed her mother, long arms barely missing her as she dodged away from them. She prepared to launch into the awaiting body. Frankie was here. She found her.

Eyes full of wonder stared down at her, a grin made of love and disbelief joining along. She didn't hear what the girl was saying. She didn't care. Her little girl was there. Her munchkin was there.

But before the child could fly into joyful arms, her tiny feet skidded to a stop. A frown marred her face and suspicion took over for glee. Something wasn't right.

"Munchkin, I haven't seen you in so long. I missed you so much." Maggie felt tears prick the corners of her eyes.

Miranda narrowed her eyes, "Munchkin?"

Maggie bit her lip, "Do...do you not liked to be called that now? Ok...Miranda, then...I still missed you. You've gotten so big."

Miranda hesitantly stepped back, her tiny body bumping into her mother's legs. Bianca dropped a hand to her shoulder, offering comfort and support.

Maggie watched, feeling a cold chill grip her heart as the little girl backed away from her. Why was she backing away? It had been years since they had seen each other, but they were still Maggie and Mimo. They were a team. She loved her like her own child, and Miranda loved her like a mom. The doctor shot Bianca a watery look, needing to know why she was backing away.

"Miranda, sweetie, don't you remember me?" Maggie dropped down to her knees. "We used to play together all the time. You're my Munchie."

Miranda stared at her, her body tense, "You're not Frankie."

Maggie almost fell backwards at the accusing words. Her mouth dropped open "Frankie? You-You know Frankie?"

Miranda nodded her head, nestling further against her mother. Maggie opened and closed her mouth, trying to understand. "How do you..." the proverbial light bulb clicked on, "You're here for Frankie. You know she's alive."

Maggie swiftly stood up, hurt eyes boring into Bianca, "You knew she was alive. You knew, and you didn't tell me."

Bianca tensed at the hardness in her voice. "Maggie..."

"How could you? My sister is alive, and you knew it. How long? How long did you hide this from me?"

Bianca swallowed hard. She couldn't look at the distraught woman, her head dropping to the side.

"No, look at me. Look at me, Bianca! How long?"

"Maggie..."

"You don't talk to me. You completely cut me out of your life. You cut me out of Miranda's. Fine. It hurt, and it was unfair, but I let it go. I let it go, because I didn't want to hurt you anymore. But to keep this from me...are you punishing me? Was this some kind of revenge?" Maggie's voice shook as her face twisted in disgust.

"No, don't think that. This has nothing to do with...what happened."

"Why would you...how could you? How could you keep my sister from me?" her voice broke as tears spilled.

"I-I didn't think. It was so fast. So much was going on." Bianca tried to explain, her heart breaking at the anguish pouring from the other woman.

"She's my sister." Maggie hit her chest, "My sister, damn it!"

"I know, Maggie."

The crying doctor turned her shoulder, fighting against the tears forcing their way down her smooth face. Bianca felt Miranda wrap her arms around her waist and lay her head against her hip. The little girl felt sad seeing the other woman cry. For some reason, the sight of her crying hurt. "Where's Frankie?"

Maggie pinched the bride of her nose, willing her breathing back under control.

"Maggie?"

The doctor looked over at Bianca, "I don't know."

"You...you said she shouldn't move."

Maggie pushed down her thoughts and feelings, "With her conditions...movement could cause more injury. She's in critical condition still."

"Oop, sorry ma'am."

Bianca swiveled around at the voice. Agent Jones was helping a nurse pick up some dropped files, most likely having run into her. Handing her the last sheet of paper, he offered her a sheepish smile before resuming his walk.

He stopped.

His eyes locked with Bianca's.

"Jones!" Bianca ran over to him, stopping him from making an escape. Maggie followed, not knowing what was going on.

"Mrs. Williams...hello." Jones gave a small wave, his eyes nearly popping out as he spotted Maggie.

"Where is she?"

"Where's who, ma'am?"

"Jones, just tell me where she is? Do you know? Is she ok?"

"Mrs. Williams, everything is fine."

"You know, don't you? Tell me. Please."

"What's going on?" Maggie looked between the two. She pointed a finger at Jones, "Who is he?"

"Mrs. Williams," Jones tried to steer the conversation, "why don't you go home? It's almost time for dinner, and I'm sure everyone's getting hungry. I know I am."

"Jones, I need to know where she is. Frankie is in danger!"

"Danger?" "Danger?" Jones and Maggie spoke at the same time. Jones had a spooked look on his face at the twin.

"Yes, she could be hurt...or...or kidnapped. Someone tried to kill her, and they might try again! You need to tell me where she is. It's not safe. We're not safe!"

"Jones, what are you doing?" a gruff voice joined in the conversation.

The group watched as two men walked up to them. Jones let out a sigh of relief, "Dir...Mr. Michaels, Mr. Johnson, it's great to see you."

Michaels scanned the group, a flicker of mistrust in his eyes as they swept over the two women, "Is there a problem here?"

Assuming that they were also a part of the FBI, Bianca pushed forward, going toe-to-toe with Michaels, "Yeah, there is a problem. You need to tell me where Frankie is right now. She's not safe. So if you don't want me calling your superior and letting them know how you're screwing up the lead agent's investigation, you better start talking."

The man's eyes hardened as he took in her words, "Tread carefully, Mrs. Williams. I'm not quite sure you understand what you're saying."

"She might not, but I do. You know about my sister?" Maggie stepped up to him. "You better tell me what you did to her, or I'll call the police. You better not have hurt her."

A flicker of a smirk hinted on Michael's face, "I assure you, I am not the one who hurt her. I never was."

Maggie leaned back at his words and at the meaning weaved into them. Michaels surveyed they crowd forming, "Might there be a place we can speak that is a little more...private?"

* * *

Maggie pushed open the door to the conference room, flicking on the light switch as she entered. Bianca followed, Michaels bringing up the rear. The three other agents congregated outside, Jones holding a sleepy Gabrielle while Miranda pouted in a chair next to Johnson.

"Ok, we're in a private room. Now tell me what you did to my sister." Maggie ordered.

Michaels casually went over to the table, pulling out a chair and lowering into it. He leaned back, his weathered eyes taking in the two women before him. He had to school his features, the smirk and laugh he wanted to release not being appropriate for the occasion. He couldn't help but feel them, though. "Your sister is safe."

"Where is she, and what did you do to her?" Maggie crossed her arms.

"I did nothing to her. Your worry is very admirable, though."

"I don't know who you think you are, but I love my sister."

Michaels shook his head, his mind going back to so long ago.

"_Junior, come on. What's the plan? What's goin' on?" Luke drove the car down the highway, the area dark except for the two headlights. _

_Frankie just sat there, her head against the window as her eyes stared sightlessly out into the blackness. He had all but carried her back to the car, having found her in the woods near that boathouse. She had been out there for hours, and he couldn't tell if her shivering was from the cold or something else._

_A humorless chuckle answered his questions, and he glanced over with concern, "Somethin' funny, Stone?"_

_She rested more weight against the door, a bitter grin covering her face, "I shoulda known."_

"_Known what?"_

_Her throat trembled as she swallowed, "She's the smart one, the one with a future. Why wouldn't she want her? Not some...stupid con-artist. Some fuck-up who's goin' nowhere. She was always the better one."_

"_Frankie?"_

_Teeth clamped down on a shaking bottom lip, "Guess I should feel proud. Must have liked how I look, at least."_

_He could feel the pain radiating from her curled form. _

"_Get me the hell out of here."_

"And you, I bet you love her too, right?" he directed towards the younger woman.

Bianca glared daggers at his smug tone, "Who the hell are you?"

"Director Luke Michaels. I'm Stone's boss."

"Director of what?"

Luke glanced over at Maggie, "Your sister is in the FBI. That's why she's here."

"The FBI?" Maggie noticed that Bianca wasn't surprised by this fact, "You knew that too? You knew all of this, and you didn't tell me?"

Bianca bristled at the accusing tone, "You know, Frankie could have told you, too."

"Maybe she didn't know how to reach me."

"She's in the FBI, Maggie. She could have found you if she wanted to."

Maggie looked away, chewing her lip at the comeback. Luke rolled his eyes at the two women, "Is there something else?"

Bianca walked closer to him, "Where is she? I want to see her."

"Can't do that."

"Why the hell not? I don't care what you think or what you want, I will see Frankie!"

"You tell'n me what to do?" his voice was hard as steel.

"She could be hurt. I-I need to make sure she's ok. God, you don't understand. She..."

"Fell back into your trap." Michaels finished her sentence. "Bianca Montgomery, I know exactly who you are and I understand what's been going on."

Bianca's hands shook, "You...you moved her because of me? Us? Who...she could be seriously hurt because of what you did! How could you do that to her? Because you have a problem with what she did?"

"I would never hurt Stone." Luke clenched his jaw.

"Why did you move her?"

"For the safety of this investigation."

"Investigation?" Maggie spoke, trying to follow what was happening.

Luke sighed, "Sooner or later someone would notice that the woman lying in that room was not Frankie Moore. Hell, her twin sister is working in the same damn place. We got her out before someone could go poking around and finding out, quite easily might I add, that she wasn't who she said she was. One speck of blood could bring up her entire file. We can't let them know we're here."

"So you moved her." Bianca surmised. "You moved her to keep her cover."

Luke shrugged, "She would understand. Never blow cover. It would compromise the whole investigation."

"Moving her could compromise her health. Did you ever care about that?" Maggie rejoined the conversation.

"She was taken to a safe medical facility we can monitor her at." Luke replied.

"You're saying my sister is an undercover FBI agent?" Maggie let out an incredulous laugh, "And what? She was shot during some investigation?"

Luke raised an eyebrow, not answering.

"Unbelievable." Maggie smoothed a hand over her hair, "My dead sister works for the FBI. What, did she need a way out of jail?"

"Maggie." Bianca's voice had a warning tone to it.

"No, Bianca, I've been in the dark about everything. My sister is alive and in the city, and no one told me. She's been spending time with you and...wait, you said us. You...you two are together? I thought you were married?"

"I am." Bianca ground out.

"Oh, this is perfect. How long has this been going on? Huh? You what...saw her and decided to sleep with her?"

"It's not like that."

"How is cheating? I'm sure Frankie was never above that, but you...oh, that is priceless."

Bianca had to fight against the hand itching to slap the accusing face, "She loves me. She's always loved me."

"She faked her death! She pretended to be dead, and we mourned her. She didn't give a damn about anybody." Maggie choked out, fury in her words.

"She cares, Maggie." Bianca cautiously stepped towards the visibly upset woman. She was beginning to understand where this anger was coming from, "She cares. I don't know why she was away so long, but I know she still cared about you."

"She never cared about anybody but herself. She went to Pine Valley to con you, Bianca. Or don't you remember that?"

"But she didn't. She couldn't do it. She's a good person, Maggie."

"Yeah, she's so good that she pretended to be dead and left us. She was always good at leaving. She ran better than anybody." Her eyes flitted between Bianca and Luke, "And you two kept her from me. You both did. I could have found her."

"Dr. Stone..." Luke began.

"No, you stay out of this. You kept my sister from me."

"No, you two kept her from you."

"What does that even mean? Nevermind, all that matters is that she left. She didn't come back. She didn't care."

"She cared, Maggie. She still does. And you would be so proud of her. She's strong and brave..." Bianca reached out a hand for her former best friend.

Maggie shied away from the touch, "Yeah, I've heard that one before. When we both thought she was dead. But you know what, she's not brave. A brave person doesn't fake their death and hurt the people who love them."

"She loves you, Maggie. She loves me, too."

"Yeah, if she loves you so much, where has she been? Huh? Where was your brave strong Frankie when Micheal Cambias attacked you?"

Bianca gasped, her hand coming to cover her mouth as she stumbled back. Maggie's eyes widened at what she had said, an apology quickly forming on her lips, "Bianca, I didn't...I'm sorry."

Bianca backed away, her eyes glassy as she bumped into the table.

Luke was at her side in an instant, his steady hands helping her into a chair. Maggie watch, horrified at what she had said, at what her anger and pain had let out.

"Frankie was...she was..." Bianca mumbled to herself, body trembling.

"Agent Stone was on assignment. She was undercover at the time." Luke filled in, mentally adding a thank god. "By the time she came out, the incident had long since past."

Bianca huddled into herself, "She...she didn't...she would have..."

"Agent Stone was not informed about what happened until after the case. She actually found out herself. At that time, she was undercover so much, it was difficult for her to know what was going on outside of the case and where she was located. But, she found out about that. I'll tell you right now...if he hadn't already died, she would have killed him. I assure you of that. She almost lost her badge and gun that day."

Maggie fell to her knees beside Bianca, gently wrapping her arms around her, "Of course she would have. She would have been there if she could. You know that, Bianca. It was stupid for me to say that."

Holding the woman, Maggie looked up at Luke, "Where is my sister? Please, just tell us. Is she in danger?"

"We don't believe so. She was moved for the sake of the investigation."

"Yes, she is. We all are." Bianca blinked up at them.

"Do you know something, Mrs. Williams?"

Bianca swallowed, nodding her head, "Reese...Reese was on the phone. She...she knew what happened. They were going to find Frankie, find out who she really is. She...she was angry, said they messed up the set-up."

"Bianca, did Reese know where Frankie and Miranda were going and when?" Luke asked.

"Miranda had piano practice. Frankie was going to bring her. Reese knew the time. We had discussed it earlier."

"She knew when and where. Easy to setup." Luke muttered, "She would know where they are at all times." He raised his voice to a normal level, "Did she say anything about Stone being an agent? Does she know about us being here?"

Bianca shook her head, "No. They were wondering why she had a gun."

Luke let out a sigh of relief. "Good. Does Reese know where you are now?"

"She thinks I'm at Cambias, working."

"Ok, go to Cambias and do what you said you were. Then, go home."

"What?" "What?" Bianca and Maggie spoke at the same time.

"We cannot draw attention to the fact that you know that something is going on. Act normally. If she suspects anything, this investigation could be over."

"She planned an attack against Frankie. She tried to kill her. I won't have my children living there. It's not safe." Bianca shook her head.

"It's not safe for them if she knows you know. Mrs. Williams, this investigation could bring down an international criminal syndicate. We can't let them see our hand."

"They shot Frankie."

"And we'll lose them if you don't."


	37. Chapter 35

"Wait, a crime syndicate? The mob's a part of this?" Maggie kept an arm around Bianca while directing her question at Luke.

"That's not important. What is important is Mrs. Williams staying cool and not exposing us."

"No, you know something and you're not telling us. You know who did this, don't you? You know who shot Frankie."

"This is an open investigation, and therefore I am not at liberty to discuss that."

"Bullshit. You're open enough to get my sister shot and have Bianca live with someone who is involved, but you can't tell us anything?" Anger flashed in the doctor's brown eyes.

Bianca's quiet voice interrupted the two before a full-fledged argument could break out, "If I do this, my children will be safe?"

"Yes," Luke tried to reassure her, "their safety is one of our top priorities."

"And Frankie, she'll be ok?"

"Agent Stone will receive the best medical treatment we can provide."

"But you can't tell us where she is." Maggie scoffed.

Luke frowned at her, "You have already been told a lot more than what most families would learn about an agent who is undercover. Technically, I shouldn't even be talking to you."

Maggie turned her head away at that comment, shaking it slightly. Bianca sniffled, the back of her fingers coming to rest on her forehead, "If I do this, you'll catch who did this? You'll stop them?"

Luke gazed down at her, "Yes, I personally guarantee we will catch them. Make no mistake, Agent Stone is one of us. We don't take too kindly to someone hurting one of us."

Bianca nodded her head and wiped a hand across her eyes, moisture clinging to her skin. She slowly stood up, Maggie's arm falling as she got to her feet. "I'll do it."

"Good."

"Bianca, you can't be serious. This is the mafia. You'll be in danger." Maggie stood up next to her, concern tinging her words.

"You promise my children will be safe." Bianca kept her gaze on the director, ignoring the doctor's insistent demeanor.

Luke paused for a moment before responding, "You have my word."

Bianca blinked and bit her lip, "You know where Frankie is? You can contact her?"

Luke nodded warily.

Bianca's calmness started to crumble, her eyes darting between Luke and the door her children were behind. Her face fell, and she swallowed hard against the oncoming emotions. Her breath hitched as she spoke, "Can...can you give her a message for me? Can you tell her that we miss her. That we need her to get better, so she can come back to us. That...that we love her. Can you do that?"

Luke blinked at the sorrowful words. He pursed his lips and nodded, a contemplative look on his face.

Bianca took a shuddering breath and fought to regain her composure. She stepped around the man, her head down as she walked to the door.

"Bianca, think about this. Is this really smart? You're putting yourself in danger for what?" Maggie sped after the woman, a skilled hand catching her shoulder and stopping her from moving.

"I need to do this for Frankie. She's lying in a hospital bed somewhere because of this. I want to find out who did it, and I want them to pay."

"I get that you want to help, but this is way over your head. This is the mafia, Bianca. They kill people. They kill a lot of people."

"And they almost killed Frankie. I'm not going to let them finish the job."

"Bianca..."

"Don't you want them to pay for this? Don't you want justice for what they did?"

"Let the FBI handle it."

"The FBI got her shot."

Maggie sighed at the determined tone. She reached a hand into the pocket of her white coat and pulled out a pen and scrap of paper. She began to scribble on it, "Here. This is my address and new number. Call me if something happens." She handed the paper to the tall brunette, "I'm worried about you. I don't know what's going on."

Bianca took the paper and shoved it in her purse. Maggie opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, her pager went off. She unclipped it and quickly read the message.

"Go." Bianca ordered, seeing the hesitation on Maggie's face.

"Call me." Maggie replied with a purposeful look before clipping the pager back on her belt and walking out of the room.

Bianca crossed her arms and turned to leave, but Luke's deep voice stopped her. "Mrs. Williams."

She turned her head to look at him, and his eyes softened at the distraught posture. "She'll be ok. She waited this long. A bullet or two ain't gonna stop her."

Bianca stared at him for a second, her gaze hard. Then, wordlessly she walked away.

Outside the room, Gabrielle was sleeping in Jones' arms, the young man awkwardly trying not to move. Seeing the mother, the strain dropped from his face and he hopped over to her, holding out the infant. Bianca gently took her, making sure not to wake her as she cradled the child in her arms. Miranda slid off her chair and slumped over to them.

"Where's Frankie?"

"She...she's sleeping, honey." Bianca answered.

"I wanna go see Frankie."

"We can't. She needs her rest."

Miranda stuck her bottom lip out, "I promise not to wake her."

Bianca pulled the little girl against her, wrapping an arm around her in a hug, "I know, sweetie. But we have to wait until she feels a little better. Then, you can see her all you want." Because Frankie was going to heal, and she was going to return. She had to.

Miranda crossed her arms, not happy with what she was being told. Bianca took her hand and began to usher her away from the room, Stuart following. However, Miranda kept glancing back, seeing Maggie a little ways down the hall talking with another doctor. Her eyes squinted as she studied the other woman.

Munchie?

* * *

Stuart drove the family to the Cambias offices. Once there, the family went inside, the building almost empty in the early evening hour. Bianca headed straight for her office, giving a cursory nod and a tight smile to the few people she did pass. The CEO stopped for a moment outside her office door, chatting amicably with her surprised secretary. She informed the woman that they would be in there for a while catching up on things, and she was free to go if she wanted. The woman thanked her for the offer and grinned at the little girl in her arms. Remembering the bassinet in the closet, she ran to get it and placed it in the room, carefully taking the baby from the tired mother and putting her in the seat. Bianca gave her a tiny smile of gratitude before waving her off, telling her to go home to her family.

Entering the safety of her office, Bianca closed the door, the faint click the only sound in the space. With one hand on the door handle and a palm flat against the heavy wood, the brunette rested her head on the cool surface. She closed her eyes, needing to process everything that had happened within the past few hours. Reese might be involved in something illegal. Maggie was back in their lives. She had to pretend she didn't know anything. Frankie, well Frankie was still shot and possibly somewhere safe, if she trusted this Director Michaels.

Did she trust him? He said Frankie would be ok. Her children would be safe. He said he was Frankie's boss, but the shorter woman had never mentioned him. Of course, the agent had never really talked about her job. She never said anything about the mafia or an international criminal syndicate or whatever the hell they called it. But, she never really said why she was there or what she was doing, especially after Halloween. She was there to investigate and protect, that's it.

"God Frankie, why didn't you talk to me about this?" Bianca whispered, the hand against the door coming up to curve around her cheek. "What is going on? Where are you?"

Releasing a shuddering gasp, she pushed her body away from the door, turning to take in the room. Gabrielle was where the secretary had left her, happily cooing to herself. Miranda had climbed up onto her mother's office chair and was concentrating on something, a pencil clutched in her hand as she moved the tip rapidly across a piece of paper. These were her children, her family, her future. The only thing she had to do, in this life, was make sure they were happy and healthy. As long as they were happy and healthy, everything would be ok.

"What are you doing, honey?" Bianca walked over to her desk, perching on the corner as she gazed down at her child's creation.

"Making a picture." Miranda mumbled, her mind on the drawing.

"A picture? It's wonderful, Miranda." Bianca leaned forward to get a better look.

It was a six year old's masterpiece. There was a tree and a bush. The sun was high in the sky, it's rays slightly uneven and protruding everywhere. A crude box with legs sat off near the tree. A little group of stick figures stood in a line. There were four of them, each figure getting shorter down the line. There were big smiles on their faces. Miranda drew a wobbly line underneath the feet of the people and the other objects, indicating the ground.

"Where is this?" Bianca asked, watching as the little girl put the pencil down.

"The park. There's the tree and the bench." she pointed at the box with legs. "And there's us. Gabby, me, Frankie, and you." She pointed from the smallest stick figure to the tallest. "I'm gonna give it to Frankie, so when she wakes up, she can see us, even when we're not there. Do you think she'll like it?"

Bianca nodded, placing a kiss on the top of her daughter's head. "She'll love it." Bianca breathed against soft brown hair. Without warning, she wrapped both her arms around the girl, squeezing her to her. Her eyes slammed shut as she held the innocent in her arms. "I love you, Miranda. So much."

"I love you too, Mommy." Miranda's voice was muffled in the strong embrace.

Bianca held her for a few more minutes before her eyes opened, landing on a clock. She sighed at the time, and reluctantly released her daughter, "We should be getting home. It's dinner time."

* * *

Entering the apartment, Bianca closed the door behind the trio. Miranda plopped down on the floor and tugged off her shoes while Gabrielle rested her head against her mother's chest.

"Just in time! I made veal picatta." Reese walked out of the kitchen, a beaming smile on her face. Bianca almost tripped over the nearby stroller at the voice. Reese pecked her wife on the cheek and took Gabrielle out of her arms. "Hi there beautiful, how are you?" she cooed at the infant, making a funny face at her.

Miranda rolled her eyes at the look and threw her shoes at the wall. She pushed herself to her feet, her picture firmly in her hands.

"Hi Miranda, how was your day?" Reese glanced down at the girl.

Miranda shrugged, pulling the picture closer to her chest.

"It must have been a busy day. You were off in such a rush you forgot the stroller." Reese turned back to Bianca, pointing at the contraption the brunette had nearly run into a moment before.

"Yes...yes it was very busy. I almost forgot about the Cambias meeting. I was late, so we ran there." Bianca got out.

"A meeting? I thought you had to hand in a memo." Reese frowned.

"Oh, I did. There was a meeting too. I forgot about it, like I said." Bianca covered.

Reese nodded, "Well, next time remember to bring the stroller. I'm sure it gets tiring carrying this little angel around all day." She nuzzled her nose against the baby's cheek.

Bianca watched her walk back into the kitchen, fighting down the feelings of fear. Reese wouldn't do anything to Gabrielle. She loved her. She loved all of them.

Miranda stared at her mother before running off, wanting to put the drawing in a safe place.

Bianca looked after her departing daughter, kicking off her heels. With a sigh, she made her way into the kitchen, seeing the table set with steaming plates of chicken and vegetables.

"Take a seat. I'll get the wine." Reese placed Gabby in her seat and walked to the refrigerator.

Bianca carefully sat down, her eyes on the blonde as she returned to the table with a half-full bottle in her hands. Reese poured them both a glass before setting the bottle down in the middle of the table. Miranda slunk in as the architect sat down and crawled into the empty chair. She picked up her fork and poked at the yellow blob of food.

"How was work?" Reese stabbed a green bean.

"Fine. Busy, like usual." Bianca replied, her fingers running over the silverware before wrapping around the fork.

"Isn't is always?" Reese chuckled, "Work has been so busy for me lately."

"Oh?" Bianca began to push her vegetables into a pile.

"It's difficult finding competent help. This project, the Lyon one I've been working on for so long, has had some setbacks. People can't do what they're supposed to."

"Is everything ok?"

"Oh, don't worry. Everything will work out." Reese popped another bean into her mouth.

Bianca swallowed hard at that and reached out for her glass. She took a healthy sip, praying that what she was thinking was wrong.

"Oh, I made some calls today." Reese waved her fork in the air, "I got a hold of Joan. She'll be able to return soon. She's excited to come back." The blonde's eyebrows furrowed as she jabbed at a piece of chicken, "It was weird. When I told her about what happened to Ms. Moore, she said she didn't know anyone named Moore. Ms. Moore had said she was a friend of Joan, that's how she knew about the job."

Bianca froze. Her hand began to tremble, causing the wine to slosh in the glass.

"We should have checked into that woman's background more. Just think what kind of person has been alone with our children. Some person who is involved with people with guns. I'm so glad our children got away from that before they got hurt." Reese noticed the shaking hand, "Are you ok, darling?"

Bianca blinked, "What? Oh...yes, I'm fine. Just, just surprised is all."

Reese reached out a hand across the table, grasping Bianca's "Don't worry, she's away from our children. She can't hurt them."

"Frankie won't hurt us!" Miranda piped up in defense of her friend.

Reese gave the girl an impatient look, "Miranda, Frankie was in trouble. She could have gotten you hurt that day."

"Frankie saved me! She'd never hurt me." Miranda slammed her fork on her plate, fire in her eyes.

"You're young, Miranda. You don't understand. There are bad people out there who want to hurt little girls like you."

"No! Frankie was good." Miranda pressed her palms against the table, pushing her tiny body up.

"Miranda, don't talk to Reese that way." Bianca cut in before her daughter revealed something she shouldn't.

Miranda gave her mother an incredulous look, "She said..."

"Sit down, Miranda. Finish your dinner that Reese made for you."

Miranda huffed, "I'm not hungry."

Reese rolled her eyes as Bianca sent her daughter a pleading look, "Miranda, please eat something. For me?"

The small brunette grumbled as she picked up her fork and poked at the yucky food again.

"We clearly need to work on this attitude she's developing." Reese glanced at Miranda.

"She's upset about what's been happening. She'll grow out of it." Bianca squeezed the hand in her own, drawing the woman's attention away from the girl.

"I hope so." Reese turned back to her food. As she placed a bite of chicken and sauce in her mouth, she noticed Bianca hadn't eaten any. "Do you not like it?" she asked, indicating the food.

Bianca took another sip of wine, "No, I do. I'm just not feeling well."

"Are you ok?" Reese asked worriedly.

"I think I might go to bed early, actually. It's been a long day, and I'm tired."

Reese studied her for a minute before her face broke out in a smile, "Ok, I might go to bed early too."

Bianca moved to stand up, when Reese's hand stopped her, "I love you."

Bianca gulped and forced out a shaky smile, "I love you, too."

She could feel Miranda's glare as the girl jumped from her chair and stomped out of the room. Bianca followed after her, receiving a door slammed in her face for her efforts.

"Miranda." Bianca opened the door, finding her child slouched on the bed.

The six year old turned away from her mother, "I'm gonna sleep."

"Miranda, what's wrong? Is this about not being able to see Frankie? We talked about that, honey. She needs to rest."

Miranda frowned and narrowed her eyes, "You lied."

"What? Miranda?" Bianca's breath hitched. What had she heard?

Miranda twisted her body so she could glare at her mother, "You said you love Frankie."

Bianca released a breath, her hand rubbing at her eyes, "I do, honey. I do."

"But you said..."

"I know. It's complicated, Miranda. Trust me. I love Frankie, I do. I love you, too. More than anything. You and your sister." Bianca spoke quietly, mindful of the open door.

Miranda looked at the woman for a few seconds. Then, she dropped the frown, "You promise?"

"I promise, sweetie."

Miranda accepted the answer and leaped off the bed. Thankful for the respite, Bianca helped the girl get ready for bed. She tucked her in, reading her Sleeping Beauty before turning off the light.

She walked into her bedroom. Her eyes landed on Reese, the blonde perched on the bed. She smirked as Bianca entered the room and stood up. "I put Gabrielle down. She's out like a light."

Bianca inhaled sharply at her wife's predatory gaze. She tensed as hands griped her face, smashing their lips together. She struggled not to choke as Reese deepened the kiss. She gasped for air as Reese finally broke away, moving her lips down to the brunette's jaw. Hands slipped up and over supple curves, subtly squeeze on their journey.

"Reese, stop." Bianca grimaced at the now foreign touch.

Reese didn't hear her, her hands moving to cup her breasts through her shirt as her teeth scraped against her jaw.

"Stop. Please, stop." Bianca begged, her hands pushing at the warm body against hers. This wasn't right. This wasn't what she wanted, who she wanted.

Feeling the shoving hands, Reese took a half step back, "What? What's wrong?"

Bianca lowered her head, hiding her eyes, "I'm not feeling well. I just want to go to bed."

Reese blinked in confusion. "You're serious? I thought you meant..."

Bianca shook her head, "Please, let's just go to bed."

Reese let out a frustrated sigh as the brunette walked around her and grabbed her pajamas, choosing to change in the bathroom. When Bianca reentered the room, Reese was already in bed, turned on her side with her bedside lamp turned off. Bianca carefully made her way over and slipped under the covers. She pulled the sheets up to her chest, eyes wide open. She wasn't tired at all.

Looking over at her bedside table, she discovered the book of poems she had bought earlier. Reese must have gone through the bag and placed the book on her table. Gently, so as not to rouse her bedmate, Bianca picked up the book and flipped to the first poem.


	38. Chapter 36

It was dark, the only light coming from the pale moon and the small flickering flames of the fire. The burning reds and yellows cast muted shadows from the fireplace, their bare light ghosting over marble and gold. Priceless works of art hung on the walls, the figures staring down at the lone occupant through the inky blackness.

Bianca ignored it all. The expensive surroundings and the slowly billowing fire. She leaned back in the strong leather chair, her eyes focused on the book in her hands. It was one of many the chateau had stocked in their vast library, and she had casually picked it out on her way to the sitting room.

Her eyebrows furrowed as she gazed at the pages. There were words and letters there, spilling across the crisp pages. But, she couldn't read them. They were jumbled together in a foreign language she had yet to see. That didn't matter, though. The book wasn't her purpose for being there. She was waiting. For what, she did not know. She just knew she had to wait.

The fiery shadows danced across the pages, giving enough light to see the black scrawls. The brunette squinted her eyes, attempting to make out the message. She lowered the book to her lap, keeping her hands firmly around the edges, as she tried to gain more light. Maybe if she could just...

Bianca inhaled sharply as, from behind, two hands landed softly on her shoulders. She closed her eyes, breathing deeply at the touch. This was what she was waiting for.

She held her breath as the hands slowly slid past her shoulders, tingling hands gliding down her bare arms. She opened her eyes to see tanned fingers graze her pale skin on their journey, ghosting over the flesh until they gently collided with her wrists. The fingers tenderly wrapped around the juncture, giving a light squeeze before moving on to rest on imperceptibly trembling hands.

A questing thumb slipped between the marble flesh and the hard edges of the book, working its way till the tip hit the palm of her hand. Warmth enveloped her as the hand now held her own. The book fell from her grasp, crashing against the floor without a sound.

Bianca could only stare at the joined hands. The clash of tan and pale, knowing and unknowing. Eyes locked on the pair, she didn't feel herself moving. Her red gown fluttered around her as she carefully stood up, the trustful hand providing balance and support. On her feet, the young woman turned, the hand in hers leading the way.

Her eyes rose to meet the face of the unknown. She could feel a gasp fall from her cherry lips. Shadows danced across the tender smirk. Seeking brown orbs hid behind a white mask, the unending darkness tricking them into appearing deep black.

Bianca felt trapped in those eyes. The whispering pools of molten chocolate told of secret promises. She barely felt as the small hand in her own tugged forward, their bodies begging for the closeness they had been denied.

She exhaled sharply as a hand cupped around a red clothed hip. The palm brushed around to her belly, smoothing out unseen wrinkles in its path. Muscles jumped beneath the haunting touch. Brown stayed locked with brown as fingertips inched upward, memorizing every curve, every tremble, on their way.

Knuckled outlined the bottom of a heavy breast, and Bianca felt a rush of warmth in her belly. Her eyelashes lowered in a blink, breaking the hold the unflinching brown orbs across from hers had held. She closed them completely, all of her senses following the wondrous touch. She bit her lip as the knuckles traced the weighty globe of flesh and nerve.

The hand skimmed up stitched silk, causing bare skin to quiver as the gentle touch reached the base of Bianca's neck. Fingertips followed a remembered path, sliding up a smooth throat to softly curve around the familiar jaw.

Feeling the calloused hands trace her skin, Bianca couldn't take anymore. She griped the hand in her own and pulled the smaller woman to her. Bodies flush against each other, she lowered her head, her hand coming up to cup the back of a neck as hungry lips met.

Bianca could feel her body swell as she pressed even further against the woman. She felt like weeping and shouting for joy. This was right. This was so damn right.

Lips pressed fully against her own, slanting slightly as the tip of a tongue tasted her candy lips. Bianca quietly gasped, allowing the welcome muscle inside. She tightened her hold on the woman's neck as their tongues tangled together.

Pulling back, her lungs burning for air, she squeezed her eyes as wet lips slipped down to her neck. They pulled and sucked on the alabaster skin, teeth grazing along the silky path. Bianca tilted her head, offering more to the hungry mouth as her own silently formed the name that had rested in the back of mind for so long, "Frankie."

As if she had heard, the woman lifted her head, covered eyes taking in the flush face. With shaking fingers, Bianca slid her hand from the back of the agent's neck, breathing out as it wrapped around the white mask. Ever so slowly, she raised the plastic, fully revealing the face beneath. As the mask left her face, a crooked grin crossed Frankie's face. With a flick of her wrist, the white cover flew away. She swallowed thickly, the flickering of the flames playing across Frankie's face forcing her chest to tighten.

Locking her eyes with Bianca's, Frankie brought their joined hands up to her mouth, tenderly kissing each finger. All the younger woman could do was watch as the swirling browns dipped with each caress.

Reaching the final finger, Frankie brushed her mouth to the back of the hand, firmly pressing her mouth against it. Bianca almost cried at the reverent touch. Holding back a sob, she turned her hand, palming Frankie's cheek. Her other hand joined, and she pulled the face up to her own, needing to feel those lips on her own.

Their lips met delicately this time, a whisper of a touch. They stood there, eyes closed as their lips rested, unmoving, together. Just feeling. Memorizing. Remembering.

Concentrating on the softness of the mouth against her own, Bianca's hands fell from their perch, snagging against Frankie's black jacket. Fingers wrapped in the cloth, palms pushing the material from the agent's shoulders. Frankie rolled her shoulders, helping push the jacket off. Bianca ripped the material down her arms, forcing it past wrists and hands till it was thrown to the floor.

She felt a smile against her lips as the woman's jacket tore past her wrists. She could feel the playfulness in the grin, and imagined rolling eyes and a smirky comment. Instead, she pressed her mouth against the crooked quirk, sucking a bottom lip between her own. She nibbled on the candy flesh, her tongue soothing after each tiny bite.

Hands tangled in her thick dark hair, twisting the wild mane. Capturing the agent's mouth in short hot kisses, Bianca reached for the white shirt, fighting with the buttons. Unable to slip the tiny pieces of plastic through the equally frustrating holes, the brunette impatiently tore at the shirt, ripping the material in half. Lips left hers as buttons flew everywhere, tiny sparks in the flames' gaze.

Frankie lowered her head, glancing at the other woman's handiwork. She peered up at Bianca, one eyebrow raised in disbelief as another smirk twisted her lips. Bianca shrugged, a smile of her own forming. Frankie shook her head as she lifted up on her toes, wrapping her arms around the younger woman's neck and pulling her into another kiss.

Bianca kissed back, moving to touch the now exposed flesh. She felt the shorter body quiver as she connected with taut abs. Lips broke away from her own, trailing across her jaw and down her neck. Frankie stepped around her, the taller woman's nails scratching against the departing skin. Now behind her, Frankie kept her lips on the pale neck as she grasped the small metal zipper on Bianca's red gown. With aching slowness, she pulled the metal down. Her lips and tongue joined in, suckling on every newly exposed inch. Frankie fell to her knees as the zipper ended, placing a loving kiss on the base of Bianca's back. The red dress cascaded down, giving way to the body hidden beneath. A hand clutched onto Bianca's as she stepped out of the dress. Her bare flesh glistened in the firelight, nothing but the marble hued body underneath the gown.

Bianca turned, the hand in her own guiding her till she stood facing the kneeling agent. She gazed down at the woman, shivering at the look given her. Frankie took in the unblemished flesh, her brown eyes filled with awe. Bianca rested her free hand on the top of Frankie's head, tenderly running her fingers through her hair.

Dropping Bianca's hand, Frankie brought both up to clasp the curve of her hips. She nudged the woman closer as she pressed her face against a soft belly. Her nose rubbed soothingly as she placed tiny kisses. Bianca slid her hand to the back of the agent's head as the woman scraped her teeth against the softness, a tongue sensitively following in their wake.

Bianca's legs became weak at the continued touch, her grip on Frankie imperceptibly tightening as she fought to stay standing. Understanding the body before her, Frankie tugged at the curving hips until Bianca's knees buckled. Slowly, she leaned back, pulling the woman with her until they laid on the floor, Bianca on top of the agent.

Frankie brought their lips together as she carefully flipped them over, the tall brunette's back gently hitting the floor. Bianca caressed the back of Frankie's neck as the woman traced her lips down Bianca's chin and her throat. She pressed a tender kiss to the brunette's chest before sliding down further.

Bianca arched up at the hot breath against the inside of her breast. She blinked rapidly as a kiss was placed against the sensitive side. Her eyes slammed shut as the hot mouth slid up, kissing the peak before pulling the nub between wet lips. Her nails scratched against Frankie's neck as a moist tongue tripped over the tip. Bianca pushed up into the warm moist cavern, needing more. Her legs bent at the knee, thighs collapsing around thin hips. A belt buckle rasped against her torso, Frankie delicately biting the hardened pebble causing the younger woman's body to ask for it again. Her wordless request was answered as the agent took the nipple with her teeth before laving it with her tongue.

Bianca ran her fingers up and down the back of Frankie's neck as the agent moved her sights to the other breast, giving it the same attention its twin had received. A shuddering breath escaped her at the ministrations. She could feel liquid pooling where she wanted the agent the most.

Sensing the other woman's wish, Frankie raised her head, tilting it to place her lips on Bianca's chest. Then, with her eyes closed and head resting against the ground, Bianca felt teasing fingertips ghost down her body, slipping against her inner thigh. She silently gasped as a strong hand cupped her backside, pulling her further against the agent as fingers slid against scorching need.

An admiring hand cupped her center. Bianca blindly grasped at the woman's head and neck, her breaths coming in shallow gasps. She wrapped her hands in smooth hair and pulled Frankie up, one hand falling to land on her neck. Their foreheads touched and eyes locked as Frankie pushed two fingers deep inside. Bianca bit back a groan as her body arched at the touch she craved so much. This is what she wanted. Dear god, this was what she needed.

She peered into caring brown orbs, getting lost in their depths as Frankie slowly pumped in and out of her. Bianca watched the fire burn in the agent's eyes.

She moaned as a third finger was added, her mouth sloppily clashing with the one above her. She could feel her inside. She could feel Frankie touching her, inside her, with her. Frankie was with her, and it felt so good.

She could feel her body begin to deliciously tighten. She pushed her hips harder against Frankie's, rocking with each movement inside. She was close, so close.

Tearing her lips away from the agent's, she saw a glimpse of love before a bright flash. Her hips bucked against Frankie as she shuddered with release. A steady arm wove around her, holding her as she clung to the body atop her. Tears leaked from her eyes as the pleasure rolled through her veins. This is what she wanted, what she had always wanted.

As the last wave passed, she felt tender kisses against her cheek and ear. Fingers slipped out as another arm enclosed around her. Bianca blinked her eyes open, brushing her lips against a shoulder. She felt so safe and warm and loved. This was how it was supposed to be, forever.

Lips grazed her ear as a whisper broke the silence.

"Farewell. Thou art too dear for my possessing. And like enough thou knowst thy estimate, the charter of thy worth gives thee releasing. My bonds in thee are all determinate. For how do I hold thee but by thy granting, and for that riches where is my deserving?"

Bianca narrowed her eyes as the words registered. She tried to look at the woman, but Frankie held her still, her mouth brushing against her earlobe.

"The cause of this fair gift in me is wanting, and so my patent back again is swerving. Thy self thou gav'st, thy own worth then not knowing, or me to whom thou gav'st it, else mistaking, so thy great gift upon misprison growing, comes home again, on better judgment making."

Bianca fought against the hold, needing to see her lover. She paused as she felt something warm and sticky seep against her body. She opened her mouth to cry out as Frankie went on.

"Thus have I had thee as a dream doth flatter, in sleep a king,"

Frankie pushed up on her arms, hovering above the brunette. Bianca choked on a sob. Where before there had been perfect skin, a hole now appeared over Frankie's heart. Thick red blood spilled from the wound, dripping down her body and staining her white shirt. Crimson droplets fell onto Bianca's skin, pooling there. Bianca reached for the wound, hands slick against the pouring blood. She fought to put pressure on it, but the warmth just slid through her fingers and down her arm.

Vulnerable brown eyes stared down at Bianca, a sad smile on Frankie's face. Bianca's fearful orbs took in the defeated look, a cry falling from her lips as Frankie finished.

"but waking no such matter."

* * *

Bianca flew into a sitting position, her hand flying to her mouth as a choked scream bashed against the appendage. She fought for breath as she looked wildly around the room. Her bedside lamp was still on, the book of poems lying haphazardly on the ground where it had fallen at the abrupt movement. The sheets were tangled around her legs. Reese was on the other side of the bed, her back turned to Bianca as she snored lightly.

"It was a dream. Frankie's fine. It was only a dream." Bianca kept repeating to herself as she stumbled out of bed, tripping over the book as she staggard away from the bed. She fumbled out of the room, her back slamming against the hallway wall as a sob broke past her lips. Her body trembled as she clenched her eyes shut, visions of blood playing against her eyelids. She pressed hands to her face as tears raced down her cheeks.

It had been so real. The fire. The room. The...the love making. It had all been so real. Then, then the wound and the blood and that stupid poem. Frankie had been dying. She was dying and there was nothing Bianca could do to stop it.

Pushing off from the wall, the tall brunette made her way down the hall, her feet bringing her to another bedroom. She took a deep breath, trying to regain composure as she peered inside. Miranda was sleeping fitfully, her tiny form tossing and turning. Wiping at her eyes, the mother in her pushed its way forward, and she walked to her daughter. She placed a calming hand on the girl's shoulder, her eyes landing on a piece of paper clutched in the girl's arms. Looking closer, she felt her throat clench shut. It was the picture Miranda had drawn earlier, of the park and their family...of Frankie with them.

Bianca's face crumpled. Why? Why was this happening? Hadn't they gone through enough?

Feeling her emotions threatening to consumer her, Bianca shook Miranda's shoulder, the child sleepily blinking up at her mother.

"G-Get up. We're going somewhere."

"Wha?" Miranda squinted, a tiny yawn filling her word.

"Go put your shoes on, honey." Bianca helped the little girl out of bed, the child sleepily making her way to the front door.

Bianca quickly walked to Gabrielle's room. She picked up the child and joined Miranda out in the foyer. She placed the sleeping infant in the stroller and pulled her own shoes on, using all her strength to hold in the tears.

She couldn't stay there. She couldn't be there with Reese and...she needed to be somewhere else. She needed to talk to someone. Tell them what happened and be comforted. But, her sister was still uncomfortable with her, even though she said she wasn't. Her mother would freak out and fly straight to Paris. Her Uncle Jack was off on vacation somewhere. She needed help. Frankie had been dying.

Taking the stroller with one hand, she picked up a faltering Miranda. Holding the girl in her arm, she pushed the stroller out of the apartment.

* * *

"I just don't know what to think." Maggie plopped down onto the couch, her head falling into her hands.

"Then don't. This is a lot to take in, Maggie. Why don't you try letting it process on its own? Don't force yourself to figure it all out tonight." Ally spoke up from the kitchen, the sound of glasses being taken down accompanying her words.

"But it's my sister! And Bianca! And Bianca's in danger, and my sister could be who knows where with serious injuries that I should be taking care of."

"And you will. You'll see your sister again. If Bianca's in danger, the FBI will help. That's what they're supposed to do." the sound of the clanging spoons sounded.

"This...I can't believe they did this to me. Keeping this from me. How could they?" Maggie rubbed at her face before gliding her hands through her now loose hair.

"Maybe there was a good reason. Maybe they were protecting you, so you didn't get involved in whatever this is." Ally entered the room, two root beer floats in her hands. She carefully handed one to Maggie before sitting beside her, "Here."

Maggie took the glass, absently stirring the spoon, "Frankie's alive."

Ally gave her a tiny smile and leaned over to press a quick kiss to her temple, "I know, baby."

A knock brought the two's attention to the front door. Maggie stiffly stood up, passing the glass back to Ally, "I got it. Who would be coming here this late?"

She heard Ally settle in against the cushions as she reached the front door. Opening the door, her jaw dropped at the sight. A red faced teary eyed Bianca stood before her, a stroller in one hand while Miranda dozed in her arms.

"I'm sorry...I-I had nowhere else to go."


	39. Chapter 37

Maggie was speechless.

She stood in the doorway, wordlessly staring at the small family. If the proverbial needle had dropped, it most definitely would have been heard. She looked up at Bianca, tear tacks marring the porcelain face. The taller woman's eyes were bloodshot, adding to the effect of someone who had been crying. There was a sort of desperation shining out of those brown eyes, a mixture of sadness and fear that Maggie had not seen in quite some time. A tiny sigh had the doctor's eyes ticking down to focus on Miranda, the young girl sleeping in her mother's arms. Her small head was nestled comfortably against the woman's shoulder, and she sleepily squirmed until it was tucked underneath Bianca's chin.

Maggie blinked at the sight of the little girl. Ally's voice called from the couch, "Who's at the door, Maggie?"

Breaking out of her trance, Maggie stepped back, allowing them to enter. She held the door open for them, closing it quietly behind them, not wanting to wake the slumbering children.

Bianca cautiously walked into the apartment, scanning the small space. It looked cozy, and warmth from the heater drove away the chill from the outside night. She shifted Miranda in her arms, the child becoming heavy after being there for so long. She watched curiously as a redhaired woman entered the area, green eyes widening at the guests.

Ally got up to see who was there, having not heard a response from her girlfriend. She set the floats down and ambled into the foyer, surprise filling her at the sight of the family. She shot a questioning look at Maggie, who gave her a confused half shrug in return. She returned her attention to Bianca, seeing the obvious signs of stress and worry. She gave the brunette a smile, clasping her hands behind her back, "I'll go make another float."

Bianca watched her leave, her eyebrows creasing, "Float?"

"Root beer floats, poor man's anti-depressant." Maggie explained, stepping up to the woman. Hesitantly, she signaled at the children, "It looks like they're asleep. If you want, I-I could take them to our room. The bed should be big enough for them both to nap on, and you could go into the living room...get comfortable."

Bianca glanced over at Maggie, the other woman's eyes solely on the child in her arms. She didn't want to part from her children, especially now. Not after seeing Frankie bleeding to death on top of her. But, Maggie was right. The children would be a lot more comfortable in a bed, and not around all of this...mess.

Maggie waited. Noticing the contemplative look on Bianca's face, she spoke, "It's just down the hall. We'll be able to hear if anything happens."

After a few moments, Bianca twisted her arms, carefully lifting Miranda away from her chest and lowering her into Maggie's open arms. The doctor gasped lowly as the girl curled into her, mumbling softly in her sleep as she lazily clung to the woman's shirt. Maggie took a heavy breath, emotions bubbling up inside at being able to hold the girl. It had been so long. She had missed her so much.

Blinking back tears, Maggie secured her hold on the toddler, an emotionally wrought hand reaching out to push the stroller down the hall.

Bianca watched them go, wanting to follow but knowing she shouldn't. They would be fine. It might have been a few years, but she knew Maggie could take care of them. The way the shorter woman held Miranda...she wouldn't let anything happen to her. Turning to the open area, the mother made her way to the living room, once again scoping out the decorations and furniture.

"We've been here about six months. The rent is cheap, and it's close to where she works." Ally entered the room, a foaming glass in her hand. She held it out to Bianca, startling the woman out of her thoughts. She gave her a gentle smile, encouraging her to take it. "Maggie always makes these when she's had a bad day. No matter what, we have ice cream and root beer in stock."

Bianca took the glass, producing a shaky smile at the kind woman. She opened her mouth to reply, then closed it. What was she supposed to say?

"I'm Ally." the redhead said, walking over to the couch and sitting down.

"Bianca." the brunette replied, peering down into her glass.

"I know." Ally's words caused Bianca to look up at her. Ally let out a short chuckle, "Maggie's been talking about you a lot for the past few hours. Ever since she got home from work. Well, you and her sister Frankie."

Bianca's breath hitched at the mention of the agent, and her eyes lowered back to the drink. She passed the drink from one hand to the other, now free fingers going up to push a loose strand of hair behind her ear She then set the drink down near the foot of the sofa.

"Do you not like floats?"

Bianca shook her head, eyes still downcast, "No...I do. It's just..."

"You're talking to your ex's girlfriend in their apartment?"

Bianca looked up, seeing a look of understanding reflected back at her.

Bianca shrugged helplessly, "Maybe? I don't...I'm not here to..."

"It's ok, Bianca." Ally stood up, "I don't know a lot about what happened between you two. Truthfully, from what I do know, you're not my favorite person. But, I love Maggie, and I want to support her. No matter what. I know there's a lot going on right now, that I don't get. Involving you, and her, and her sister. Know this." She walked up to the brunette, "You're welcome here. I love Maggie, and I know she loves me. Nothing can change that. So, unless you do something weird or try to hurt her, I'm fine with you being here."

Maggie entered the living room, pausing at the sight before her, "Is everything ok?"

Ally turned to look at her with a grin, "Everything's great. We were just getting to know each other."

Bianca nodded with a half-smile. Maggie darted her eyes between the two. Not sensing any outright hostility, she strolled over to them, "That's good."

"Yes, it was. But, unfortunately, as good as it was, I have a painting to finish." She gave Maggie a quick kiss as she moved towards the hallway, "I'll be in here if you need me."

"What?" Maggie watched her go, startled at the abrupt departure.

"She...she seems nice." Bianca spoke up, causing Maggie's head to snap back.

"She is. She's very nice."

Bianca nodded, her hands unconsciously twisting together. "How did you meet?"

Maggie grinned as a faraway look entered her eyes, "I was walking home, and I was dead on my feet. I had pulled a full 48 hours. She was sitting outside on the sidewalk, painting, and I was so tired I didn't see her. I totally ran into her easel and knocked everything over. I literally crashed through the canvas. I thought she was going to kill me, but she burst into laughter and helped me up. She dragged me to the nearest coffee shop, saying she'd buy me a cup so I didn't run over anyone else."

"You always were a bit of a klutz."

Maggie blinked out of the memory, a frown coming to her face, "Why are you here, Bianca?"

Bianca crossed her arms over her chest, defensive at the tone, "I didn't have anywhere else to go."

"I thought you were going home to do what that FBI guy told you to."

"I was...I did."

"So what happened? Did she figure it out?"

"No."

"No?" Maggie ran a hand through her hair, her anger back, "Then what did happen? Find another secret to keep from me? Keeping my sister away wasn't enough?"

"I didn't keep her away from you."

"Yeah...you just knew she was alive and didn't tell me." Maggie let out a humorless laugh.

"I wasn't even supposed to know she was alive!" Bianca bit out, "The only reason I found out was because she was forced to. She had been here for who knows how long before I even knew. She was right next to me, and I didn't know."

"But you know now. What did you do? You didn't tell anyone."

"It's not that easy! There was so much going on, and she was going, then she was staying, and then she..." Bianca brought a hand up to her mouth to hold back the sob.

Maggie reached out to her, but Bianca backed away, "I saw it! She was there, and it was perfect, and then she was bleeding. She was shot! It was right where it was before, and she was saying that stupid Shakespeare poem, and I don't want her to die!"

"She won't." Maggie watched as Bianca turned her back, "If she's at a hospital, she'll be ok. She's not dead yet, Bianca. They would have told us."

"Like they told her to hide? Like they told her to get shot?"

"Told her to get shot?"

"Before! Frankie was working with them before, when she was in Pine Valley."

"What?"

Bianca wiped at her eyes, "She turned on Vanessa. They got her shot then, and she disappeared for eight years."

"Oh my god." Maggie couldn't believe it. How far did this deception go?

"They could do it again."

Maggie shook her head, trying to process what she was being told, "Or she would. She ran away before. Would just up and disappear."

"No, she wanted to stay. She didn't want to leave us."

"Like before? She left you before, Bianca. She made you think she was dead." Maggie's mind whirled, "How do you know she's not doing the same exact thing again? She conned you before. She could be conning you again. Making up some story about having to go away."

"No, she wouldn't do that. She wants to stay. She wants to be here."

Maggie was on a roll though, "Think about it. She gets close to you and then bam, she's gone. I bet she made up some story to weasel her way back into your world."

"She's not like that, Maggie. Do you really think your sister would do that?"

"She did before. Admit it. You have a big heart, Bianca. People take advantage of it. She did. Why wont you think about the fact that she could be doing it again?"

Bianca stared at her, "She loves me."

"She doesn't love anyone."

"How can you say that? About your own sister?"

"Because it's the truth!" Maggie stomped over to the couch, emotion in every step.

"The truth? Maggie, the truth is that she loves people. It scares her, and makes her feel vulnerable. She hates to feel vulnerable, but she still feels love."

Maggie stopped in front of the sofa, her arms crossed as she gazed down at the cushions. Bianca cautiously walked up behind her, "You're angry. You're hurt. But, you love your sister and you know she loves you. Do you really think she's playing me? That she doesn't care about me?"

Maggie took in a shuddering breath, "No." She sat down on the couch, her hands crossing in her lap.

Bianca slowly sat down next to her, keeping a few inches between them. She stared down at her lap, long hair falling to cover her face, "She loves me, Maggie."

"I know." the doctor breathed out.

"I love her."

"I know."

The room was quiet for a few seconds.

"Do you trust her, Bianca?"

The younger woman answered immediately, "With my life."

Maggie chewed on her lip, "You forgave her? For...for cheating on you."

"Maggie..."

"I remember she slept with JR. You forgave her for that?"

Bianca tucked her hair back, "Is this about..."

"I'm in love with Ally. I want to spend the rest of my life with her. But, when I was with you, I cheated on you. I slept with someone else. It was stupid, and it ruined our relationship. You never forgave me. You forgave everyone. You forgave Babe for stealing you daughter! But, you didn't forgive me."

Bianca took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts. "You were different, Maggie. Before we were...lovers, we were best friends. You were my best friend. I trusted you more than anyone. I thought you were the one person who would never hurt me. Then, I found out you were sleeping with someone else. The one person I trusted the most betrayed me."

"I was wrong. I know. It was the biggest mistake of my life."

"I know you're sorry, Maggie. There was never a question about that. But, I could never see you the way I had. You broke that trust. I thought I could forgive you back then. But, I couldn't. You changed everything. How I felt, how I saw things."

"But you can trust her?"

Bianca rubbed a hand across her forehead, "She didn't."

"What?"

"She...she didn't cheat on me. Not really. It was a part of the plan. She had to get me away, so she could confront Vanessa and her guys."

Maggie let out a snort, a palm resting over her eyes as she rested her elbow on her knee.

Bianca pursed her lips, a tinge of sadness filling her eyes, "I could never understand how someone could cheat on the person they love most in this world. The one person they're supposed to spend forever with. Maybe...maybe that's why you could. We weren't meant to be together forever. Could you ever imagine cheating on Ally?"

Maggie shook her head, teeth clenching her bottom lip.

"Maybe this was what was supposed to happen. So you could find Ally, and I could end up with Frankie."

"But you married Reese."

Bianca inhaled sharply, her eyes lifting to look at the ceiling. As she looked up at the lights, she felt something shift, and it was like things started to click, "I thought she was the one. That we were in love. But, now it's all jumbled and a mess. I think...I think I might have been pretending. It was easier to pretend she was the one for me, even after she cheated. It was easier to pretend...just like I pretended you didn't love Miranda."

Maggie's head whipped to the side, startled by the confession.

"You love her. You held her like she was the most precious thing in the world."

"She is." Maggie breathed.

Bianca ran both her hands through her hair, "I pretended that you didn't love her. That, when you left us, you never cared about her. That way, it was easier to keep her from seeing you. We could start a new life...but that never worked." She shot a wiry grin at the doctor, "Do you know she thought Frankie was you?"

Maggie shook her head, wonder filling her eyes at what this could mean.

"Frankie was so worried that all Miranda saw when she looked at her was you. She told me you two should see each other, because Miranda loved you, and you loved her."

Maggie swallowed thickly, her eyes flicking towards the hallway, "I love her so much. She was my daughter, Bianca. She was mine, too."

"I know." Bianca choked out, "I'm sorry. It was just so hard. You were gone, and people were dying. I wanted to protect her. I just wanted her to have the perfect life."

Tears started to stream out of both their eyes as Bianca went on, "I never wanted her to have to go through what I did. Two homes. Split parents. I'm sorry, so sorry."

Maggie scooted over and wrapped her arms around the younger woman. Bianca hugged her back, hiding her face in Maggie's shoulder.

"I love her, Bianca. She's my Munchie." Maggie sniffled.

"I know. I'm so sorry."

"C-Can I be in her life? Can we do that?"

Bianca nodded against Maggie's shoulder, "I-I don't want to k-keep her from people she loves. N-Not anymore." Not after Frankie was hurt.

A joyous sob broke from Maggie's lips as she heard Bianca's muffled words. She hugged the woman tighter, visions of Miranda playing across her mind.

They sat there, hugging for what seemed like forever. After their tears died down, they broke apart, each keeping one arm around the other.

"Gosh," Maggie wiped at her eyes, "I can't believe I get to see her again."

"She's going to be so happy to spend time with you, Maggie."

Maggie nodded, a gleeful smile on her face.

Bianca took a deep breath, basking in the presence of the other woman, "Maggie?"

The older woman glanced over at her.

"D-Do you think...we can be friends...again? I-I've missed this. I've missed you."

Maggie's eyes softened, "I've missed this too." A smirk twitched at her lips, "Besides, you are dating my sister now. We'll be spending a lot of time together."

Bianca rolled her eyes, "When she gets back here. I...I miss her. I want to see her...god, I want to hold her hand and tell her I love her."

"You will." Maggie lowered her eyes to her lap, "So, Miranda thought I was Frankie, huh?"

"Yeah, Frankie was kinda freaked out about it for awhile. But you guys look a lot alike, especially to a little girl."

"She wasn't the only one we looked alike to."

Bianca tilted her head in confusion, "What?"

"It's ok, Bianca. You loved her. You still do."

Understanding flickered in Bianca's eyes, "Maggie...no."

"We both look almost exactly alike."

"No, Maggie. When...when we were together, I only saw you."

"But you wanted it to be her."

"No."

Maggie smiled softly, "Maybe not all the time, but sometimes you saw me and wished it was her...and that's ok, Bianca. I always knew. Always had a feeling. But, I'm not mad about that. Because...I can't imagine what would happen if I could never see Ally again."

"Maggie..." Tears pricked brown orbs.

"Just...take good care of her. Because I'm going to kick her ass when I see her." Maggie tried to lighten the mood, but there was a promise in her eyes. Her and Bianca might be working towards mending their friendship, but there was still a lot of anger and pain where the twins were concerned.

Bianca bit her lip and nodded. They both took deep cleansing breaths, thankful for the talk. They leaned back against the sofa, getting comfortable. If Maggie listened hard enough, she could faintly hear Ally working, paintbrushes tingling in the water can. It brought a smile to her face. She loved that girl.

As a peaceful quiet enveloped the room, Maggie peeked over at Bianca, "Hey, Bianca?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you remember what you said you would do, if you ever saw Frankie again?"

Bianca furrowed her brow.

"You said you wouldn't know what to say. That you'd just hold her."

Bianca slowly nodded her head, remembering the conversation they had so long ago.

"Did you do that?"


	40. Chapter 38

Maggie scooted further back against the warm body behind her, her mind in that comfortable place right before waking. As she pressed harder against the person, an arm haphazardly was thrown over her waist, the hand hanging delicately over the edge of the couch.

A soft kiss met the skin of her neck as Ally's sleep rumpled voice whispered in her ear, "You awake?"

Maggie made an indecipherable sound, her body unconsciously moving to bare more of her neck to the woman.

Ally lightly nibbled at the offered flesh, teeth nipping as her lips sucked gently. Maggie hummed at the touch. Wanting more, she twisted around...and promptly fell off the sofa.

The brunette groaned, a hand coming up to rub at where her shoulder had collided with the floor as Ally peered over the edge, concern and laughter waring across her face.

"Guess it's time to get up." Ally tried not to chuckle at her girlfriend. She stretched out as much as she could on the makeshift bed before clambering off. She offered a hand to Maggie and pulled her to her feet, giving her a quick peck on the cheek before heading to the kitchen.

"I don't know about you, but coffee sounds really good right now."

Maggie watched her go and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She dropped down onto the sofa and rolled her shoulders, working the kinks out after a hard night's sleep. Her and Ally had volunteered to take the couch for the night, and Bianca had joined her daughters in their bedroom. While the sofa looked good in their apartment and was almost a steal for the price they paid, it was still a sofa...not a bed.

As she tilted her head to pop the kink from her neck, soft footsteps met her ears. Maggie looked up to see Miranda standing at the other end of the room, a nervous yet curious look on her face. The doctor held her breath as the child peered around the room, her eyes finally settling on the woman. Maggie had to bite her lip to hold back the feelings. Her little girl was here, in her apartment. Miranda was here.

Miranda cautiously took a step forward, her arms protectively wrapping around herself. Maggie forced herself to stay perfectly still and shot the girl an encouraging smile.

"You're up early, Munch...Miranda."

Miranda shrugged. There was still a hint of trepidation in her brown eyes, but slowly her steps became more confident as she walked further towards Maggie.

"Where's your mother? Is she still sleeping?"

Miranda nodded. Maggie smiled because no matter how much the other woman protested, Bianca was not an early riser. She hated mornings.

Miranda stopped a foot away from the couch. She studied the woman, eyes intently taking in every inch. Her arms rose to fold across her chest. Her eyes narrowed, and she looked about as intimidating as a six year old in yellow sunflower pajamas could look.

"You're not Frankie."

Maggie swallowed hard at the accusing tone. She fought to stay collected, her voice coming out cheerful, "No, I'm not."

Miranda jutted a hip out, her pose pure Kane, "Who are you?"

"I'm Maggie."

Miranda stared at her, her young mind trying to figure everything out. The name sounded so familiar. Maggie. "Why do you look like Frankie?"

"She's my sister. We're twins." Maggie chanced a glance toward the hallway. Where was Bianca? Would she be ok with this?

Miranda's face lit up, "Sister! Like me and Gabby?" She paused, "But we don't look the same."

Maggie chuckled quietly, "No, not exactly. We're twins, so that's why we look the same. We were born at almost the same time. I'm older, though."

Miranda thought about this. Frankie had a sister! With this knowledge, she crawled up onto the sofa next the older brunette.

"You know Frankie? Can you take me to see her? Mommy wont let me see her."

Maggie glowed as the girl sat next to her, their sides precariously touching as the child swung her legs happily, a hopeful gleam in her eye.

"You should listen to your mommy. She'll let you see her when it's the right time."

Miranda pouted, her shoulders drooping, "B-But I miss her."

Maggie wrapped an arm around the upset girl and pulled her tight against her side, "You'll get to see her soon."

"I wanna see her now."

As she hugged the child against her side, she relished at the contact she hadn't had in so long. Miranda was growing up so fast. But as she registered what the girl was asking, a frown came to her face. How well did Miranda know Frankie? How big a part of their lives was she?

"Munchie."

"What?" Maggie glanced down at her.

"You call me Munchie." Miranda peeked up at her.

Maggie nodded, "Yes, I do. You were a little munchkin."

Miranda furrowed her eyebrows, "I kinda...do I know you?"

Maggie choked back a sob at that. She hid her face in the girl's flowing brown hair, pressing a quick kiss against her head, "Yes, you do. We used to have a lot of fun together. Do you remember? I loved you so much."

"I-I don' know. I think..."

Maggie pulled her harder against her, "That's ok. It's ok, Munchie. I love you so much. Gosh..."

Miranda tentatively reached out and laid her fingers on the shaky woman's knee. "Why are you crying? Are you sad?"

"No, I'm not sad." Maggie kissed her head again. She remembered her! No matter how small it was, her little girl remembered her.

"Then, why are you crying? Mommy cries when she's sad. F-Frankie says it's bad when Mommy's sad. She doesn't like it. I don't too."

"You don't either." Maggie absently corrected before adding, "She does, does she?"

The woman pulled back, subtly wiping at her eyes.

"Yeah, but when Mommy gets sad, Frankie makes it better. Mommy's been sad a lot, so Frankie has to come back so Mommy wont be sad anymore. And then we can play again. But, we can't make cookies, Mommy wont let us anymore."

Maggie bit her lip hard. She was talking about Frankie a lot. It was obvious the girl knew Frankie, but what had been going on?

"Maggie...can I ask ya something?"

"Yes, of course." Maggie shook her thoughts away.

"Is Frankie gonna be ok?"

"Yes, she is." Maggie answered with conviction.

"Good." Miranda nodded.

A large thump sounded down the hall, followed by a door slamming open. Bianca appeared a second later, flushed as she spotted the two sitting on the couch. "Miranda, honey...what are you doing out here?"

"Talkin'."

Bianca rushed up to the girl. Maggie let her arm slide away as the younger woman swept the child up in her arms, "Don't do that. You scared me."

"It's ok, Bianca. She was fine with me."

Bianca glanced down at Maggie, residual terror leeking from her eyes, "I woke up and didn't know where she was."

"I'm sorry, Mommy." Miranda spoke up, burrowing against her mother's chest.

"It's ok, sweetie." Bianca held her close, "I just get nervous when I don't know where you are."

"How about some breakfast to help those nerves?" Ally stepped out from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a rag.

Maggie shot her a grateful look as Miranda lifted her head. "Pancakes?"

"Smiley face ones." Ally nodded.

Miranda turned to her mother gleefully, "I never had smiley face ones!"

Bianca gave Ally a small smile, "That sounds great. We'll just get ready and be out in a minute, if that's ok."

"Sounds good to me." Ally leaned against the wall.

Bianca hefted the girl further into her arms and made to leave. As she turned, she quickly brushed her fingertips against Maggie's arm. She mouthed a thanks before leaving the room. Maggie watched them go, her gaze solely on the little girl moving slowly away. The clearing of a throat brought her attention to the redhead across the way.

"Everything ok?"

"I think so. I just...she, she knows me."

Ally held out a hand, "Come on, help me get these pancakes on the table and we can go from there."

* * *

Breakfast was a quiet affair. Bianca helped her two children eat while Maggie looked on. Ally made polite conversation, asking Bianca about her work and talking about the cold weather. Afterward, Miranda ran off to the bedroom to gather her coat and shoes. The three adults walked into the living room, Gabrielle in her mother's arms.

"Does she need any help?" Maggie asked, her stare straying to the hallway.

"No, she can handle it." Bianca rocked the infant in her arms. "She likes to think she's independent sometimes."

Maggie nodded. Ally plopped down on the sofa, her hand sneaking up to lock with Maggie's. Tearing her gaze from the hallway, Maggie's eyes locked on Bianca, and she took a deep breath. Knowing the little girl was only a short ways away, she kept her voice down as she spoke, "Bianca...what's going on?"

Bianca looked up from Gabrielle, "What do you mean?"

"Bianca...the FBI, you coming here last night...Frankie, what's going on?"

Bianca swallowed roughly, her hold tightening slightly on her youngest, "I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" Maggie felt Ally squeeze her hand in support.

"I-I don't. Frankie didn't talk about it. There was...a stalker, but he was after my mom. Frankie was here to protect us in case something happened."

"You're being stalked?"

"No...she said they had solved it. She was going to leave, but she didn't."

"Why not?"

"Something happened. She wouldn't tell me what, but...she had been hurt." Bianca blinked rapidly, "I should have seen this coming. She tried to play it off, but she had been hurt. If they hurt her before, why not again?"

"Do you know who hurt her?"

"No. She didn't say. It was hard enough getting her to even admit she was hurt." Bianca's gaze slowly hardened, "She wouldn't tell me, and this Michaels makes it sound really bad. I need to know what's going on. I need to know if my children are in danger."

"Bianca, he said they would be fine."

"Maggie," Bianca took a harsh shuddering breath, "Miranda saw. She saw what happened to Frankie."

"Oh my god." Ally whispered as Maggie tensed.

"There's so much I don't know. I-I need to know, Maggie. Why was Frankie shot? Why was the mob after her? Was she investigating them? Is that why she was here?"

"Bianca, I know I was asking a lot of questions, but this is the FBI. This is the mafia. We need to be careful." Maggie intoned.

"We should let the FBI handle it. It's their job, right?" Ally added.

Bianca was on a roll, though. "Who shot her? Was it the mob? If she was after them, then why did she come to me? Why the stalker?"

"Bianca, slow down. If it's this big, there's nothing we can do." said Maggie.

"No, Maggie. This is my life. This is my family...Frankie. I need to know what's going on. I need to know who did this to her."

"This isn't Vanessa. This is so much bigger than that, and Vanessa almost killed me. We thought she killed Frankie."

"Don't you want to know who did this?"

"There's nothing we can do."

"It's Frankie." Bianca spoke firmly.

"She's being taken care of."

"We might be able to help."

"Help? This is an agency full of cops. What can we do?"

"I don't know. There might be something we know that could help."

"Like what? You said so yourself that you don't know anything."

"I'm going to find out what's going on. I thought you might want to help too, since it's your sister."

"Don't act like I don't care about her." Maggie sneered.

"Just like before, right Maggie? You wanted to bail the last time we tried to help her."

"I was almost killed!" Maggie yelled incredulously.

"So was Frankie! She was shot, Maggie. She was dying. You saw it. You saw her. If you gave a damn about her, you wouldn't be like this."

"I love my sister." Maggie's voice quivered.

"Then help me find out who did this. Help her, Maggie. Help bring her back home."

Ally, who felt like she was at a tennis match, tugged on her girlfriend's hand, "Maggie, why don't we just go ask that guy a couple of questions. See what he knows."

Bianca shot the redhead a grateful look as Maggie stayed silent.

"Fine, we'll go ask Michaels some questions. Find out if there's anything that...can bring Frankie home."

Bianca breathed a quiet "Thank you." as Miranda came back in the room. She went over to her daughter as Maggie turned to face Ally.

"Why did you do that?"

"Because," Ally gave her a knowing look, "you want to go just as much as she does."

* * *

Bianca pushed the stroller, Gabrielle giggling inside as Miranda tagged along beside her. She had borrowed some of Ally's clothes to make the journey to Paris's FBI headquarters. The shirt was a little tight, especially around the chest, but she didn't think going in there dressed in her sleeping attire would have been very beneficial.

Ally and Maggie strolled a few yards behind the small family, their fingers laced together and arms swinging softly. A cold breeze made its way through the city, causing the couple to pull their coats tighter around their bodies as their hair whipped about their faces.

"So, last night was a little quiet." Ally spoke up, keeping her eyes forward.

She felt Maggie shift beside her, "Expecting a big fight?"

"With what you told me, I just thought it would get a little louder."

"She said she'll let me see Miranda."

"That's great, Maggie."

"I get to see my little girl." tears pricked at her brown eyes.

"The little girl you should have been seeing for the past few years."

"It's complicated."

"You don't think it's a little late to finally start seeing her?"

"I'll take what I can get."

Ally sighed, "The way you told it, she's your daughter too, Maggie. You loved her, helped raise her. You don't want to confront her on that? She kept her from you."

"She's letting me see her now, though."

"You haven't seen her since she was two. You're not angry about that?"

"Of course I am," ground out Maggie, "but I couldn't exactly get into a fight with her when Miranda was only down the hall. I'm not going to fight where she can hear it. I know what it's like to hear a parent yelling. I don't want her to go through that."

Maggie ran a frustrated hand through her hair, "There are a lot of things I'm upset about. Miranda, my sister, everything. But I can't talk about it now. I don't want to get into it now."

As Ally opened her mouth to respond, she nearly stumbled into Bianca's back. The artist looked up to see they were in front of the FBI building.

"This is it." Bianca spoke up before pushing her way inside.

Maggie and Ally followed the family as they wandered through the lobby area. Men and women, all dressed in bland starched suits walked by, sparing the interlopers a short glance. Bianca boldly ignored them, trying to remember the way she had taken so long ago, when Frankie needed her to look at the letters.

"May I help you, miss?" an agent approached her, his face stoic.

"We're looking for Director Michaels." Bianca answered.

"Do you have an appointment?"

Bianca gave him a freezing glare and crossed her arms, "This is very important. Director Michaels will want to speak with us."

The agent studied her for a few seconds. He took in the group, a flicker passing his face when he spotted Miranda hiding behind her mother's leg.

"I'm afraid we don't have anyone here by that name."

Bianca bit her tongue, holding back her scream of frustration. Why did all these agents have to be so difficult?

"What are you talking about? We just spoke with him yesterday." Maggie waved her hand in the air.

"I'm sorry, but we do not have anyone by that name here." the agent calmly spoke again.

Bianca raised her eyebrows and nodded, taking a step back, "Ok, thank you."

Ally and Maggie shot her bewildered looks as the agent curtly nodded and walked away. Bianca flicked her head towards the elevators. Catching the hint, the group casually made their way to the lifts. As they reached the button panel, the agent's voice called out, "Miss! You are not allowed there!"

Bianca pressed the button harder, and let out a sigh of relief as a door opened. They scurried onboard, hitting the door closed button. The metal barrier slid shut as the agent jogged up. His disbelieving look was the last thing they saw.

Bianca paused for a moment before the button panel, trying to remember what floor.

"Where are we going, Bianca?" Maggie asked, keeping her finger firmly on the door close button.

Trying to think back, she replayed that meeting in her head. The letters, arguing with Frankie, being summoned...what was the floor? Gritting her teeth and sending a silent prayer up to whoever was listening, she randomly hit a button. The ride jumped to life, slowly lifting them up to the desired level.

A bing sounded as the elevator stopped and the doors slid open. The group fumbled out into the hall. It was empty, no one in sight. Rows of doors on either side met their gaze.

"Which one?" Ally asked, spinning to take in the vast amount of doors.

Taking a deep breath, Bianca chose a direction. With a wave of the hand, she had them stalking down the hall. It was like a maze, a never ending sea of closed doors and fluorescent lights. After what seemed like hours, the group stumbled upon an open door, the sound of chatter and the clicking of computer keys echoing into the hall. They hesitantly approached, Miranda hidden behind her mother as Ally and Maggie closed in around her.

Reaching the edge of the door, Bianca leaned over, spying what lay inside. A triumphant smile came to her face as she saw the room. This was it!

Men and women, all clean cut and starched to the gills padded about. Some were on phones, others on computers. Files were being handed left and right. One of the walls had been converted into a grid, photos of people tacked about with lines connecting them.

"Is this it?" Maggie whispered.

Bianca pulled back and nodded at her. The CEO straightened her coat and checked her hair. Pulling back her shoulders, she took a calming breath before marching into the room. All movement stopped as the agents saw the confident woman.

"I need to speak with Director Michaels."

Everyone just stared at her. She could feel the others stop right behind her. A light cough sounded, joining the whir of the computers as the only noise.

A door slammed open...the door that led to Frankie's office Bianca thought. Luke stormed out, "What is going on? Why aren't you working?" He followed his agents' stare to newcomers. His eyes widened and his face turned red as he shouted at the top of his lungs.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE!"


	41. Chapter 39

Luke's voice ricocheted off the walls, causing many of the agent's to flinch at the ferociousness. His face quickly glowed bright red as his eyes burned.

"We have some questions for you." Bianca straightened her posture, not wanting to show how much the shout startled her.

"You what? You can't be here! You're supposed to be with your damn wife! Are you crazy?" Luke pointed a finger at her as he stalked up to the group. On his way, he gestured at the assembled agents, "Who the hell is supposed to be following her? Who let her in here?"

"Director Michaels, I want to know what's going on. I deserve to know." Bianca stood defiantly.

Luke, nostrils flaring, was bouncing between incredulous and anger as his main feelings. He folded his arms across his chest and sneered at the heiress, "You _deserve _to know? Deserve? Who do you think you are?"

Bianca clenched her jaw at the condensing tone. She felt a tiny hand grip tighter to the back of her coat. "I'm the woman whose family is in danger. I want my questions answered, and I want you to lower your voice. You're scaring my daughter."

Luke stared at her, trying to form words to describe his anger. What was she doing there? Hadn't they just agreed that she would act as if everything was normal? They were this close to catching the Goldsteins, and she wasn't going to mess that up.

"Mrs. Williams, if you don't go back home this instant, I will personally see to it that my agents drag you back there and lock you in. Do you hear me? This is an investigation. If this gets screwed up because you need _answers, _I...you have no idea."

"Why don't you just give us some answers, and we'll go home." Maggie spoke up, moving to stand beside Bianca.

Luke glanced over at her with a scoff, "I already gave you answers. So you can go home now."

Maggie took a step forward, her voice lowering, "I don't know what's going on. But, my sister was lying in my hospital with gunshot wounds, my little girl could all but be in danger, and you know why. You know who did this, and why they're doing it. You better tell me."

Luke gave a humorless laugh as he bent down to stare eye-to-eye with the doctor, "You better go before you raise suspicion. This is so much bigger than you could possibly understand. Get out of here, and take your little _family_ with you."

With that said, he straightened up and nodded at two agents standing close by. They scurried over to the group and herded them toward the door. Their protests fell on deaf ears as they were forced out into the hall, the door slamming in their face.

"Well, that didn't turn out too good." Ally observed as she commandeered the stroller.

Bianca stood glaring at the door, her mind trying to form a plan.

"Bianca, let's go home. They're not going to tell us anything. And he was right. You said you would stay home. What is Reese going to think?" Maggie grabbed Miranda's hand firmly, ready to make the trek back to the elevator.

"No, they're hiding something. I want to know what." Bianca twisted away from the door, her vision landing on the endless rows of doors.

"Of course, they're hiding something. It's the FBI. They won't tell us everything." Maggie ran a hand through her hair.

"We need to know what it is. Frankie could be in danger. They were the ones who took her." Bianca began to walk down the hall.

"Frankie...right." sighed Maggie as she trudged after the younger woman, Miranda pulling at her hand as the child rushed to catch up with her mother.

As they turned a corner, a triumphant smile slowly made its way across Bianca's face. Her eyes glittered, and she picked up her pace. Ally and Maggie looked over to see another agent walking towards them. When he spotted Bianca racing towards him, his eyes widened into a look of surprise and slight terror.

"Agent Jones!" Bianca called out, grabbing his arm as she reached him.

"Mrs. Williams...ma'am." he stuttered out. He peeked over at Maggie, his eyes blinking rapidly. He quickly looked back at Bianca, a hesitant smile showing, "H-How may I help you? Are you lost?"

"No, but I do think you can answer a few questions for me."

"Questions?" Jones asked in confusion as he was forced through one of the doors into an empty room. He attempted not to flinch at the strong fingers wrapped around his bicep and the sound of the door shutting behind them. The room was nearly an open space, a few chairs and a lone table the only occupants to welcome the party. Bianca led the agent over to the furniture, pushing him down into one of the chairs before leaning back against the table. She gave him a cool appraising look, and he caught himself fidgeting more than once. Maggie, getting more and more frustrated at being in the dark, handed Miranda over to Ally, who immediately took the children to the far corner of the room, as far away from the impending explosion as possible. Once the trio had made themselves scarce, the older brunette carefully lowered herself into a chair next to Jones.

"What's going on, Jones?" Bianca asked, her steely gaze never wavering.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about, ma'am. Is there a problem?" he peeked over at Maggie before forcing his eyes back to Bianca. Gosh, she sure looked a lot like his boss. It was freaky.

"You know what I'm talking about. What's going on? Why is the FBI in my life? In my children's lives?"

"Mrs. Williams, this might be a better topic for Director Michaels. He'll know a lot more than I do. Especially since he has that task force here."

"Tell me what you know."

"Ma'am..."

"Jones," Bianca leaned forward, the cold from her gaze melting away, "you know what's going on. You were always there. You brought Miranda back to me when Frankie...after what happened. Frankie had to have trusted you. You were always with us. Just...just tell me what you know."

Jones looked back and forth between the two women, his mouth opening and closing. He finally settled on Bianca, and he swallowed thickly at the desperation entering her being. He squinted his eyes, going over what had happened. No one was supposed to talk with her. Director Michaels had clearly stated that. But...but Agent Stone talked to her a lot. Agent Stone was one of the best agents out there, no matter what the rumors said. She was his boss. His superior.

"What...what do you know?" he finally asked.

"Reese was talking to someone on the phone. She said they kept messing up. She knew about what happened to Frankie. Frankie was...shot. Um...there was the stalker." Bianca tried to remember everything.

Jones nodded, "What do you want to know?"

"Who shot Frankie?"

"We don't know. Not for sure." Jones shrugged helplessly. He willed himself not to think about how Agent Stone had been sprawled out on the hard pavement, blood pooling beneath her.

"But you have an idea." Bianca pressed on.

"Maybe. I mean, it's all kinda connected. At least, Director Michaels thinks so. Agent Stone did too, until...you know."

"Connected?" Maggie questioned, joining in.

Jones jumped at the familiar voice. He didn't look at her as he nodded, "Yes. The stalker, the break-in, all of it. Of course, she wasn't really sure how the stalker fit in, but she had a feeling. We were looking into it."

"What break-in?" Bianca asked, "I don't remember anyone breaking-in to the apartment."

"No...well, I don't think there was one there. The break-in at the Halloween party...and at Reese Williams' office."

"What?" Bianca froze. Break-in at the Halloween party? But..."Oh god, her back. That's how her back got so hurt."

"Yeah, the guy put up a fight, but we got him."

"Agent Jones, why don't you start from the beginning and tell us everything." Maggie cut in.

The young man nodded his head again and bit his lip. Boy, was it weird having Agent Stone's twin next to him.

"We came here for the stalker case. Agent Stone was in command. We both investigated the letters and worked to protect the Williams family in case something were to happen. There were some threats made against the family, but most were directed at Erica Kane. She did receive an eyeball that we later found out came from a missing person here in France."

"An eyeball?" Maggie gasped in disgust.

"From France? Frankie never mentioned that." Bianca added.

Jones shrugged, "We lost a lot of our agents to the Pine Valley contingent after that, as you know. Soon though, they caught the man responsible for the letters. We were going to go home, but Agent Stone said Washington wanted us to stay until the loose ends were tied up. We went to the Halloween party, and there was a break-in. Agent Stone caught a man sneaking into Miranda Montgomery and Gabrielle Montgomery's bedroom."

"She what?" Maggie breathed out as Bianca brought a hand to her mouth in horror.

Jones shifted uncomfortably at their looks, "We looked into it, and he was a dead end. He had no connection to anyone, but Agent Stone had us look further into Reese Williams. No one saw Mrs. Williams for a period of time at the party. Someone had to have shown the man how to get to the room, and she was gone at the best time to do that. So...so Agent Stone went to her office to check it out, and someone with a gun entered while she was there. She chased him, but he got away."

"You started thinking Reese had something to do with this back then?" Maggie couldn't believe it. They had let Bianca and Miranda stay with someone who they thought was a criminal?

"Well, we had a thought she might have been. Agent Stone went to her office during the day, and discovered she was meeting with Andrew Carrington. He's with the Goldsteins. They're a...they're big into drugs and illegal diamonds. We later found out that the missing person whose eye was sent to Ms. Kane was last seen with people matching Mr. Carrington and Mrs. Williams' descriptions."

Bianca remained silent, her hand pressed to her mouth while the other dug into the table behind her. Frankie had kept so much from her. Maggie leaned closer, her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to figure it all out, "So, what does that mean? Why would all this matter?"

Jones leaned away from her as he nervously rubbed his hands together, "The Goldsteins run their money through legal companies. That's why we have never been able to catch them. Agent Stone thought they might be working with Reese Williams to acquire Cambias Industries to use as another company. Mr. Carrington did meet with Cambias before the two Mrs. Williams met, but the negotiations were halted by Bianca Montgomery."

Maggie glanced at Bianca, "But Bianca would never give the company to anyone, least of all smugglers. That's Miranda's company."

Jones took a deep breath, not wanting to go into the next part. He licked his lips and shifted in the hard chair.

"What is it?" Bianca whispered.

Jones spared her a sad look before mumbling out, "We know. That's why...that's why we think Reese Williams was brought in. She married you and had a child with you, who is a Cambias. Gabrielle Montgomery is a Cambias through the donor."

"She's a what?" Maggie choked out. Who the hell was the donor? Shaking those thoughts away, the doctor forced herself to stay on topic, "But it's Miranda's company. Gabrielle doesn't have the shares, Miranda does."

Jones locked eyes with Bianca as he spoke, "Gabrielle Montgomery would be the next in line to receive the shares...if something were to happen to Miranda." He watched as the realization slowly filled those brown orbs, stark fear not far behind.

Bianca felt her entire body go numb. Her mind stopped. Her breath held. Her knees buckled, her hand, frozen on the table, the only thing holding her up.

Maggie's breath caught in her chest as she took in what he was implying. Her hands shook as she ran them through her hair, "But...but she..."

Bianca fell into the table, the heavy furniture groaning against the sudden weight. Jones hopped to his feet and placed his hands on either side of the woman's waist, steadying her as best he could. Unseeing eyes met his, and he shivered at the emotions floating within. Her hands clawed at his jacket, clutching onto the thin material as he held her up.

"Frankie...she was...she was shot...protecting my baby. She was protecting my baby." Bianca rasped, her lips trembling, "They want to kill my baby."

Jones held on tight and maneuvered her over to his now vacant chair.

"Not again, not my baby. Not Miranda." Bianca repeated to herself.

"Oh my god, oh my god." Maggie held her head in her hands as it all sank in. She had just gotten her back. Now...now someone wanted her dead?

"We're not going to let that happen. Nothing is going to happen to you or Miranda." Jones assured her.

"She...my baby." Bianca's breathing turned shallow, air fluttering in and out quicker than ever.

Noting the signs of hyperventilation, Jones knelt down in front of her, "Mrs. Williams, take deep breaths. It's ok. Deep breaths."

Maggie looked up at the two. Seeing the other woman's panic, she slid over and gently took Bianca in her arms, "Shh, it's ok, Bianca. She's ok. Miranda is fine. No one is going to take her from you. Not again."

Bianca didn't hear her. All she could hear was her sister, Kendall, telling her Miranda was dead. That her newborn baby was gone.

"Bianca...Binks...listen to me. Miranda is fine. She's alive. She's not hurt." Maggie strengthened her hold.

"Miranda...MIRANDA!" cried out Bianca, her eyes wild.

She frantically pushed away from Maggie and Jones, knocking the chair over as she bolted up.

"Mommy?" Miranda looked over from where she had been playing with Gabrielle and Ally.

"Oh my god, Miranda!" Bianca sprinted over to them, sweeping her daughter into her arms. She wrapped her body around the little girl, rocking her back and forth as she buried her face in silken brown hair.

"Mommy?" Miranda's voice was muffled against her mother's chest. "It's ok."

"Maggie?" Ally gave her girlfriend a concerned look as the shorter brunette walked up to them. Maggie lifted a shuddering hand, her fingertips lightly touching Miranda's back. They trailed down as she took solace in the warm, living, breathing body.

"Honey?" Ally tenderly wrapped an arm around Maggie's waist.

Maggie leaned back into her, not letting her fingers leaving the little girl. Tears ran down her face as her voice quivered, "We...we have to find out what's going on. We have to catch them."

Ally nodded her head, kissing the top of Maggie's head, "Ok. We'll catch them."

"I won't let anything happen to her." Maggie spoke, assuring herself as well as Bianca.

Bianca took a deep breath, inhaling her precious daughter's scent before lifting her head. She held her daughter close as she spoke, her voice hard as steel as her eyes darkened, "Damn right, nothing is going to happen to her."

No one was going to hurt her daughter. No one.


	42. Chapter 40

Bianca clutched the girl close, relishing in the tiny heartbeat so close to her own. Someone wanted to take her away, wanted to steal this precious confection of joy and love. Not again. She would never let anything happen to Miranda ever again. Since the moment her firstborn had been put in her arms, she had vowed to never let anything harm her. She loved this little girl so much. She was the reason for so much happiness and good in her life. Her cute smile alone could brighten any day.

Anyone who thought about hurting this innocent child would have to go through her.

"Ok, so we're going to help catch the bad guys. How do we help the FBI do that?" Ally rubbed Maggie's back soothingly.

"They need evidence, right? If they have evidence, they can arrest whoever is doing this." Maggie glanced back at the redhead.

"We'll get evidence." Bianca spoke firmly.

"How are we going to do that?" Ally frowned.

"Jones said that...Reese," Bianca choked on the name, a multitude of emotions trying to come out, "is involved in this. We'll find out what she's hiding."

"Shouldn't we let the FBI do that? It's their job." said Ally.

"We can't wait for them to figure it out. If my daughter's in trouble, then I want to know right now." Bianca shook her head.

"Bianca, do you...do you really think Reese is behind all this?" Maggie asked. No matter what, this was Bianca's wife. If she was behind everything...

Bianca sighed, fighting against the memories wanting to overrun her mind. They had gotten married. Reese had loved her. "I don't know." she finally said, "I hope not. But everything points to her. I can't ignore that."

"And if it is her?" Maggie pressed.

Bianca thought about it for a second, "Then, she's going to wish she never met us."

Ally tried not to shiver at the cold tone the mother used. Listening to her, she felt a thread of fear rope through her. She wondered briefly who would ever want to cross this woman. "How are we going after her?"

Bianca turned, her eyes landing on the agent still hovering by the furniture. "Jones!"

The young man stopped fidgeting with his sleeves, his head popping up at the call. He began to walk towards the group, "Mrs. Williams?"

"You said that Reese was meeting with the mafia, right?"

"Well, she wasn't necessarily meeting with the mafia. The Goldsteins aren't the mafia." Jones started to explain, but cut short at the glare, "Reese Williams was meeting with the Goldsteins' main associate."

"Where did they meet?"

"Agent Stone saw them at Reese Williams' office. It was discovered they were meeting there under the guise that Mr. Carrington was having a home built."

"So, we'll check her office." Bianca began to form a plan, "She's been meeting with them there. She must have files or something there."

"The FBI probably already checked there, though." Ally pointed out.

Bianca looked over to see Jones giving off a sheepish look. "Agent Stone tried to look through the office, but someone came in while she was doing it. She uh, wasn't too happy that we didn't check before."

Bianca blinked at him, "So, the office still hasn't been fully checked. We'll go look through it."

"Is this safe, Bianca?" Maggie asked. "Maybe you and the girls should just go away for awhile. Go back to Pine Valley or vacation somewhere."

"No, the sooner we figure this out, the better. I'm not going to run and hide while someone wants to kill my daughter."

Maggie took in the determined look. She had seen that look before. Bianca Montgomery could be one of the most stubborn people on the planet. Come hell or high water, Bianca was going to do what she wanted to.

"Ok, we'll go to Reese's office. We need to be careful, though." Maggie gave in.

"Um, I can't let you go there." Jones gestured at the women, "This is highly dangerous, and could be detrimental to the investigation. Director Michaels has forbidden anyone, not assigned to the task force, from participating in this."

"I'm going, Jones." Bianca stood tall.

"But Mrs. Williams, you're not equipped to handle this if something goes wrong. It's best if you go home."

"To a wife who might want to kill my daughter?"

Jones grimaced at that, "It's not safe."

"You're not going to stop me."

"But Mrs. Williams..."

"Why doesn't he come with us?" Maggie interrupted. Bianca raised an eyebrow at her while Jones gaped. She continued, "He's a trained FBI agent. He'll know what to do and can protect us if anything goes wrong."

"I don't think," began Jones, his hands flailing dramatically.

"Either you go with us, or we go alone. Either way, I'm going." Bianca spoke, shutting the agent up.

Jones looked back and forth between them all. Letting out a deep breath, his face fell as he mumbled to himself, "Agent Stone is going to kill me."

* * *

The journey to the office building had been quick. Bianca drove as if she was in a race...or a cop movie. Jones sat beside her, hands clenched around the door handle while the rest crammed into the backseats. When they arrived, they all converged outside the doors, Jones looking around repeatedly for anyone he might recognize as an agent, and who would, more than likely, report them to Michaels.

"We need a plan." Maggie said as they all gathered in a tight circle.

"I'll go into Reese's office and see if I can find anything. You and Ally watch the children. If anything happens, you make sure they're safe." Bianca explained.

"You can't go in there alone. What if someone catches you?" Maggie argued.

Bianca peered over at Jones, "Jones can go with me. He can be a lookout. If anyone is coming, he can warn me."

"And we'll warn him if we see anyone." Ally added, wrapping her coat tighter around herself.

"I still don't like this, Mrs. Williams." Jones joined in, the collar of his coat flipped up to ward off the cold wind.

"We have to find something. I need to know if she's involved in this." Bianca stepped over to the stroller. She bent down and gave a sleeping Gabrielle a kiss, "Be good for Ally and Maggie. I'll be back soon."

She then walked over to Maggie, who had Miranda's hand griped in her own. She knelt in front of the girl and wrapped her in a fierce hug, "I love you, honey."

"Love you, too." Miranda hugged back, not understanding why her mommy was acting so weird, but going with it.

After a caring squeeze, Bianca released her and stood up, her features setting into a resolved look. She glanced at everyone. They all knew what to do. Squaring her shoulders, she marched into the building, Jones on her heels. Maggie, Ally, and the girls followed a few steps behind. They all took the elevator up together. Ally held onto the stroller, Maggie griped Miranda's hand tight, Jones nervously glanced around, and Bianca stared straight ahead.

"No one can see me." Bianca spoke softly, "They'll recognize me."

Jones blinked, "We need a distraction."

"Distraction?" Maggie peeked at her girlfriend, "We can do that. You two just get in there and find what you need to."

As the doors dinged, Maggie and Ally got out first, tugging Miranda along. Jones and Bianca waited a few seconds before following. They walked slowly, giving the others some time to get ahead of them. It couldn't look like they knew each other. They needed to provide the distraction, and then Jones and Bianca could get past unseen.

Maggie and Ally entered the brightly lit lobby. Most of the chairs were filled with sharply dressed businesspeople, their eyes focused on newspapers or cellphones. Maggie tried not to feel underdressed as they walked further into the room. She unconsciously tugged at her shirt, but stopped as Ally took a hold of the free hand.

"May I help you?" a feminine voice called out.

They turned to see a woman looking at them expectantly. Maggie forced a smile to her face as they walked up to the desk. Her eyes ticked around the room. It had been a long time since she had been privy to the upper echelons.

The woman looked at the, waiting for them to speak. Maggie opened her mouth, but nothing came out. What was she supposed to say? Think, think!

"Hi, we're here to see about getting a," Ally spoke up, desperately searching for a clue about where they were at. Noticing the business cards on the other side of the desk, she quickly read the professions, "a house."

"Oh, that's great. You've come to the right place. You were looking to build one, I assume." Janice clicked on her keyboard.

"Yes, of course." said Maggie, finally finding her voice.

"Is this your first time building a home?" Janice gave them a once over, "It is very expensive to design one."

"Pardon me?" Maggie didn't like the tone the lady had used.

"Oh, I'm only informing you that our architects are the best in Paris, and thus charge a premium for their work."

"You think we can't afford it? I'm a doctor!" Maggie was indignant. Who did this woman think she was? She was right, but still.

"Sweetie, it's ok. Clearly the woman doesn't know that not all successful rich people wear business suits everyday." Ally cooed.

"A doctor? I'm sorry, I did not mean to offend you." Janice backtracked. She plastered a huge grin on her face, "Let's set up a meeting for you, shall we? Oh, and your daughter looks adorable in those sunflower pajamas."

While Janice typed away at her computer, Ally and Maggie watching, Jones and Bianca crept into the lobby. With Jones' frame between her and the desk, Bianca sped through the lobby and to the corridor with all offices. Remembering the last time she had been there, the brunette took no time at all finding the correct door. The duo stopped outside the wooden barrier, pressing their ears against it.

"I don't hear anything. Do you?" Bianca whispered.

Jones shook his head. They stepped back, eyeing the door. If they walked in, and Reese was there, it would be difficult to come up with a good explanation for why they were there. Not to mention, Bianca did not want to see her wife right at that moment. If Reese was involved in trying to kill her daughter...she wasn't sure she could hold back.

Gathering up her courage, it was now or never, Bianca grasped the door handle. It gave way easily, and the door swung open. They both held their breath.

No one was there.

Twin sighs of relief echoed as they stepped inside. Jones halted near the entrance, keeping a sharp eye out for anyone wanting in. Bianca cautiously moved farther in, her eyes going over the familiar landscape. This was her wife's office. They had lunch here more than once. She had surprised the blonde here with tickets to the opera. They had kissed goodbye the last time she had been here, the architect promising to bring dinner home. That had been so long ago. Long before the stalker, before Frankie.

Frankie, who was shot because of all this. Shot because someone wanted to kill Miranda. Someone who might be Reese.

With a renewed sense of purpose, Bianca rushed over to the desk. All of the papers on top were for some man's dream home. She flicked the mouse, and the computer popped on. The monitor showed a collage of castles, a few icons dotting the screen. Going to my documents, she found nothing but drawings and client plans.

Giving up on the computer, she decided to rifle through the drawers. Maybe something was in there. The first two drawers were busts, nothing in them but papers, pencils, and paperclips.

The bottom drawer, though, was locked. She pulled at the handle, but nothing happened. Why was the drawer locked?

Bianca tugged at it again, but to no avail. It wasn't budging. "Damn it." she whispered to herself. Could something be in there? It was the only thing locked up. Could this be the hiding place?

More importantly, how was she supposed to get into it? The drawer was locked, and no amount of tugging or pulling was going to move it. She needed to unlock it. But how? There was no key in sight.

Sitting back on her heels, Bianca pondered her next move. What could she do? She couldn't leave it, this might be her only chance to snoop around. She might not have much time. Reese could be coming back any minute. What could she do?

Pick the lock.

Bianca rubbed at her face. Pick the lock. It was the only way to get in there. But how? Remember. Remember. Who knew how to pick a lock?

Frankie. Frankie knew how to pick a lock. The loveable scamp had boasted once, as cocky as ever, that she knew how to pick a lock. Of course, she knew how to pick a lock. She was Frankie Stone, con extraordinaire.

How did she do it? Bianca thought hard, racking her memories. The vagabond had tried to teach the young heiress. She had whipped out her little box of pins, showing off the prize possession. Bianca had eagerly attempted to open the simple lock they had found. It had taken her over two hours, and a lot of patient coaching, but she had done it.

She needed pins. Frankie had said it was always best to use a kit, but in a pinch, she could use something else. She just needed...paperclips! There were paperclips in the other drawer. The brunette ripped open the top drawer, fishing around until she produced two paperclips. She quickly bent them into straight lines.

Ok, now what? She had to poke them in the hole of the lock, digging around until she could click the lock pins. Bianca jammed the thin metal sticks into the hole, rooting around. She bit her lip as she concentrated, trying to feel around in the small dark space.

She couldn't feel it. She wasn't doing anything.

With a frustrated growl, she tore the clips away and tried to peer inside the hole. She couldn't see a thing.

"Come on." she whispered, digging the paperclips back in. She stabbed at it, her eyes squinting as she kept failing.

"Bianca, babe, relax." a gentle voice whispered in her ear. Bianca closed her eyes as phantom hands tenderly wrapped around her own, stalling them. "It just takes a little skill, not bash brothers."

"Frankie." Bianca whimpered. She gasped as ghostly arms hugged her from behind, tenderly guiding her movements.

"You got this. You're the one always talking about feeling. You gotta feel for that little click." Frankie spoke.

Bianca, eyes closed, let her hands be led, the paperclips slowly working through the lock. After a minute, an almost imperceptible click vibrated along the thin metal and to her fingertips.

"Feel that?" lips brushed against a porcelain cheek.

Bianca nodded her head, her eyes squeezing tight. Her chest constricted as she felt the arms and hands move away. "Frankie? Frankie!"

Her eyes popped open, and she spun around, looking for the agent. No one was there.

"Mrs. Williams? Are you ok?" Jones stage whispered, his eyes hesitantly leaving the hallway for a second.

Bianca swallowed thickly, fighting against the sadness bubbling up. She'd see her again.

She yanked the drawer open. A few folders lay inside, stacked neatly. She pulled them out, flipping the first one open. Her eyes widened at the sight.

"Let's go." she jumped up, slamming the drawer shut before jogging over to Jones. The man nodded, letting her leave first before closing the door behind them.

When they arrived in the lobby, Maggie and Ally were hunched over the secretary's desk, scanning a few magazines.

"You really want that?" Maggie asked, pointing at something on the page.

Ally shrugged, "I've always thought it'd be kinda cool."

"I like it, too." Maggie shyly grinned at her.

"Oh, that would look beautiful in your new home." Janice joined in, staring at the page.

"What about this?" Maggie pointed at something else.

"That's nice, but I do really like the stone on the outside." Ally leaned into the shorter woman.

"Light stone, though. Not the dark stone."

"Exactly. The dark stone is too dreary." Ally agreed.

As Bianca exited into the elevator, Jones cleared his throat loudly. The two women peeked over at him and stiffened.

"We need to be going." Ally muttered as Maggie grabbed up the magazines.

"Yep. Things to do, people to save. A doctor's work is never done." Maggie added, steering Miranda towards the exit.

"Oh, of course. Have a good day, and don't forget your appointment!" Janice called after them.

As they walked towards the elevator, Maggie and Ally linked hands.

"Do you think she found anything?" Maggie questioned.

"Did you really like that house?" Ally shot back.

"Yes," Maggie swung their hands gently, "I really did."

* * *

They all scrambled into the car, taking the same positions as before. Bianca sped away from the building, her hands gripping the wheel so tight her knuckles turned a new shade of pale.

"Did you find anything?" Maggie asked, her arms around Miranda. The little girl squirmed against her side. Maggie seemed neat and all, but she was very touchy. So was Mommy lately. She missed Frankie. She hoped she could see Frankie soon.

Bianca pulled over into a parking spot a few blocks away. She had a grim look on her face as she held up the folders she had confiscated.

"What's that?" Maggie asked, the grim look setting her on edge. She pulled the munchkin closer to her.

Bianca tossed some of them back, the manila folders opening to show pages and pages of numbers. Ally and Maggie looked them over, trying to make sense of what was in their laps. Jones was handed the rest, and he flipped through them intently.

"It's a bunch of numbers, financial statements." Maggie concluded. "What does it all mean?"

Bianca clenched the steering wheel, her shoulders tense. She swallowed several times, trying to combat the sudden dryness in her mouth.

"They're financial statements. Some are from Cambias. No one is supposed to see those outside the company."

"So, Reese shouldn't have them." Maggie went along.

Bianca nodded. She ran a shaky hand through her hair, pushing dark locks back behind her ear.

"What's the rest of them?" Ally asked.

"They're reports on Miranda's shares."


	43. Chapter 41

"Now what do we do?"

Maggie's question reverberated in the tiny vehicle. Everyone had gone quiet after Bianca's revelation, opting to either look more closely at the papers in hopes of discovering something useful or pondering the fact that this was really truly happening.

"I don't know. This doesn't make sense. There's no way she should have been able to get these reports. There's no reason why she would have these unless..." Bianca was unable to finish the sentence. Was it true? Was Reese really involved in some scheme to take her daughter's money? Maybe even her life?

Jones shyly raised his hand, "We could take this to Director Michaels. He'd know what to do with it."

"He'd probably start screaming again about how we're not supposed to be there." Maggie snorted.

"Well, technically you weren't supposed to be there. You weren't supposed to be at Reese Williams' office either." Jones looked over his shoulder at the doctor, forgetting for a moment that the whole twin thing kinda creeped him out. As his eyes landed on the woman, though, he stiffened slightly and quickly faced forward.

"We don't know if she's really a part of this. Someone could have given them to her to give to me, and she hasn't been able to yet." Bianca tried to figure out a reason for the forms being there.

"What? Bianca, she's a part of this. Even the FBI thinks so." Maggie shot the younger woman a bewildered look.

"She's not a bad person. I would have seen it."

"'Cause you've never been conned before, right?"

Bianca grimaced at her ex's words. She tightened her grip on the steering wheel, her thumbs smoothing over the leather surface.

"I think Agent Jones is right. We should tell the FBI about this." Ally spoke up.

Bianca stared straight ahead. What was she supposed to do? She had to protect Miranda. Nothing could happen to that little girl. But how? If Reese was involved, she needed to keep her away from Miranda. How could she keep Miranda safe? She silently wished that Frankie was there. The agent would know what to do. She'd protect them.

"I have to keep Reese away from Miranda. We can't stay at the apartment with her. If she...if she is a part of this, then she might try to do something." Bianca bit her lip.

"Where will you stay?" Maggie hugged Miranda closer.

"The Cambias Suite. I still have the penthouse. We'll go there for a few days. The security is much tighter there."

"What will you tell Reese?" Ally asked.

"I hopefully wont have to tell her anything."

"You don't think she'll be worried you're gone?"

"If she's involved, I want her behind bars before she even notices the empty drawers."

The car was silent for a second as everyone took in what she was saying. Jones cleared his throat and glanced over at her. "What do you want us to do?"

"I need to get our things. Reese will be at work for a few more hours. I'll go there and pack up our stuff. We'll then go to the suite."

"You can't go alone." Maggie immediately pointed out.

"I'll go with you." Jones responded. He would keep Mrs. Williams and her family safe. That was why he was in Paris, and that is what Agent Stone would want him to do.

"We'll go too." Maggie volunteered.

Bianca shook her head, "No. The more people there, the more it'll stand out that I'm leaving. It has to look like everything is normal. You and Ally go home and wait for us to call. Agent Jones will stay in the car while I get our things."

"No. We're not leaving you." Maggie leaned forward.

"You did before." Bianca muttered. She turned to gaze at the two women, "If something were to happen, I'd need someone to look after Miranda and Gabrielle. Besides, you two will keep the reports we found."

Maggie stared at her for a moment before sitting back. She reluctantly nodded her head, "Okay."

Bianca spun around and put the car in gear, "I'll drop you off first."

* * *

The drive to the Williams' apartment building was tense. Miranda sat in the back, brown eyes filled with both curiosity and a sense of seriousness, gazing out at the passing scenery. Jones sat stiffly in the passenger seat. Gabrielle laid in his nervous arms, having been put there by Ally as she exited the vehicle. Bianca drove to the building, trying desperately not to think about how her life had changed so much in the past few months. So many things had happened.

As they parked across the street, Bianca opened the door and got out. She went to the trunk and popped it open, pulling out the stroller and rapidly assembling it. Jones soon joined her, setting the infant down in the contraption.

"I'll be right here when you get out." he assured her. He took a deep breath before continuing, "Is it a good idea to do this? Maybe we should have more agents."

"Director Michaels keeps saying this needs to be normal. If anyone noticed something was wrong, it would be in the newspapers by tomorrow morning, my family would be flying out here on the next flight, and Reese...well, she'd be running away if she's guilty."

Bianca opened the back door and helped Miranda out of the car. The little girl leaned into her mother, wrapping her arms around the tall brunette. "I'm tired, Mommy."

"I know you are, honey. Just a little more and then you can take a nap." Bianca gave her a quick hug. She then grabbed the handles of the stroller and pointed it towards the building, "We'll be back soon."

The family made their way across the street and up the elevator, Miranda holding lightly onto the stroller as her mother steered them. People from around the building passed by them, greeting them with friendly hellos and waves. As they entered their apartment, Bianca pushed the stroller into the living room. She picked Miranda up and set her on the sofa.

"Mommy, our shoes." the child wiggled her feet, attempting to remind her mother that they take their shoes off when in the home.

"We'll only be here for a minute. It's ok." Bianca kissed her on the forehead, "Stay here and watch your sister. I'll be right back."

"We going somewhere?"

Bianca smiled, "Yes, honey. We're going on a little trip. But, I need to pack our bags."

Miranda listened and nodded, "Okay. Don't forget Buster and Sally."

Bianca couldn't help but chuckle at her daughter's request. All this was going on, and the child didn't want her to forget the chia pets. She gave the girl one last peck to the cheek and stood up, swiftly moving down the hall. Her first stop was Gabby's room. She hastily threw some clothes and supplies into a bag conveniently kept in the child's closet. Next was Miranda's room, where she did the same thing. Soon, the bag was overflowing with items. Sadly, it looked like Buster and Sally wouldn't have a chance to go along.

She left the bag in Miranda's room near the door and trekked the short distance to her and Reese's room. She pushed open the door and strolled inside. The room was just like it was everyday. The bed was made, the room was tidy from dirty clothes. On Reese's side of the bed, the blonde's robe was set out, the material flowing against the comforter.

Bianca swallowed hard at the sight. She blinked a few times, the simple sight getting to her. This had been her life. This had been her family's life. She slowly walked over to the bed and gently sat down, carefully avoiding disturbing the robe. She ran a hand over the smooth silk before clasping her finger together in her lap.

She stared at the room. This had been her bedroom, her and Reese's bedroom. They had spent so much time together in there. So many early mornings, so many long nights. Bianca let out a breath. Could someone who had shared so much with her do something like this? Be some kind of monster? She brought her left hand up, glimpsing the gold ring on her finger. Was this all a lie? Another lie in a long list of lies?

The sunlight flashed off the gold and her mind suddenly went to a different piece of gold.

Her heart.

A tender smile unconsciously spread across her face, lighting her features. This may have been her life, but it wasn't her future. Her future was with a rascally FBI agent who had stolen her heart long before anyone could have imagined, even herself.

With that in mind, Bianca stood up. She threw open the closet and grasped as much as she could. She threw the clothes on the bed, then dug in the bottom of the closet, dragging out a small carry-on sized suitcase. She tossed the clothes inside and zipped it up. With a sigh, she rolled the bag out to the hallway. She deposited it inside Miranda's room, next to the children's bag.

"Miranda? Are you ready?" she called out. She checked both bags, making sure she had the essentials. As she waited, no answer came.

With a frown, she left the bags and sped towards the living room, "Honey?"

She stopped dead in her tracks.

There on the sofa sat Reese, an arm around Miranda as she cuddled the child up against her side. Gabrielle was in her other arm, her tiny head resting against the woman's chest. Reese was talking quietly with Miranda before peering up at her wife with a grin.

"Hi, sweetie. How are you?"

Bianca opened her mouth, but no sound came out. A sick sense of dread crept down her spine, chilling her to the bone.

Reese rubbed her hand against Miranda's arm and side, "I missed you guys this morning. Where did you run off to?"

"We...Cambias things. I took them with me...since we don't have a nanny." Bianca finally choked out.

Reese gave Miranda one last squeeze before standing up. Cradling Gabrielle in her arms, she strode over to Bianca. With her free hand, she reached out and cupped the brunette's cheek, guiding their lips together for a kiss.

"Mmm, you could have woken me up. I'm sure there was a little time before Cambias called." Reese whispered provocatively against her wife's lips before capturing them in another kiss.

Bianca slammed her eyes shut, willing herself not to pull away. As she felt a tongue swipe against her bottom lip, she tried not to gag and forced her mouth open, allowing the muscle entrance.

It seemed like forever before the architect pulled back. Bianca stepped back and swung around her, hurrying over to Miranda. "It's time for someone's nap."

Reese watched her pick the girl up and balance her on a hip, "I have some paperwork to do. I'll put Gabrielle down and then do that. Want me to cook dinner later?"

Bianca froze for a second before awkwardly smiling, "No, I can do it."

Reese kept her eyes on the two as they left the living room, a grin permanently etched on her face.

Bianca sped to Miranda's room. As they entered, she shut the door and grabbed the bags, dragging them into the closet. She piled some clothes on top to hide them before shutting the door. Once that was done, she made her way over to the bed and laid her daughter out on it.

"There you go. Now have sweet dreams, okay?" Bianca placed the covers over Miranda. She glanced longingly at the closet door before turning back to the child.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, sweetie?"

"We're not goin' anymore?"

"Not right now." Not with Reese there. Not when anything could happen.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, honey?"

"Are we gonna visit Frankie soon?"

Bianca offered a tiny smile, "Very soon. Now sleep tight."

Bianca stood up and moved to the door. She watched as Miranda rolled onto her side, and nestled against the soft pillow. She let out a shuddering breath, blinking back tears. If only they had left a minute sooner. If only.

* * *

Reese sat in the kitchen, piles of paperwork stretched before her. She was drawing new dimensions to a housing design, her eyebrows cinched together in concentration. Bianca puttered around the stove, carefully watching the blonde. The brunette stirred the tomato sauce, adding a pinch of oregano. It would be pasta night. The homemade sauce would take a while to make, allowing her the ability to secretly keep an eye on Reese.

Stirring the red sauce, Bianca peeked up at the clock. It was almost time to wake Miranda from her nap. With one last stir, she set the wooden spoon to the side and wiped her hands on a nearby dish towel. She hesitantly left the kitchen, Reese's back turned to her still.

Nearing the bedroom, a terror filled cry filtered through the door.

Without thought, Bianca burst through the barrier, her heart pounding. What was wrong? Where was Miranda? She frantically scanned the room. Miranda was on the bed, her eyes closed as she kicked at the blankets, twisting them around her tiny legs.

"Miranda? Honey, wake up. Wake up." Bianca rushed to her side, dropping to her knees as she shook the girl's shoulder.

"No! Noooo!" Miranda yelled, her arms flailing.

"Miranda, it's ok. Open your eyes, sweetie. It's a dream." Bianca shook her harder, dodging the flying fists.

"Noooo! Frankie!" Miranda shot up, her eyes flinging open. Unaware of where she was, the child panicked, the dream still flashing in her mind.

"Miranda, darling. It was a dream. You're okay." Bianca trailed a comforting hand down her back, the other coming up to rest on her knee.

Miranda finally looked at her, eyes full of fear and sorrow. With a sob, she threw herself into her mother's arms.

"Shhh, it's ok. It was only a dream." Bianca cooed, wrapping her in her arms. She gently stood up and perched on the edge of the bed, clutching her crying child closer. Miranda crawled into her lap, burying her face in her mother's chest.

"Calm down, sweetie. It was only a dream. You're safe."

Miranda roughly shook her head, her tears dampening the adult's shirt. Her body shook with the force of her sobs. Bianca pressed a kiss to her head.

"Shhh, it was only a dream."

Bianca kept repeating that line over and over. It took almost half an hour for Miranda to calm down, her sobs turning into trembling sniffles. Her eyes were completely red, along with her cheeks and nose. Tear tracks stained her face.

"Want to tell me about it?" Bianca asked, tenderly rocking her.

Miranda curled up further in her mother's arms, seeking a form of shelter only a parent could provide.

"It...it happened again."

"What happened again, sweetie?"

Miranda sniffed, her hand coming up to rub at her red eyes, "It did."

"Can you tell me?"

Miranda paused, "I...I'm done with practice. I want a chocolate croissant, 'cause they're really good. I ask Frankie if we can get one. I know she will. She likes 'em too."

Bianca plants her lips on the child's head, the corners twitching at that. Frankie would like sharing chocolate croissants with her daughter.

"Frankie's weird. She...she starts yelling at me. Tellin' me to go back. I don't know why." Miranda begins to shake harder.

Bianca tightens her hold on the girl, a sense of foreboding entering.

"There's...there's a really loud sound. I ran like Frankie told me to. I swear I did. I hid under a car. It was dirty and loud. Frankie...Frankie was behind a car. Scary men were there too. They kept getting closer and closer."

Bianca kept rocking the girl as her trembling intensified.

"It was so loud. Frankie needed help, but she told me to hide, so I hid. Then...then she fell. She jerked, and she fell, and I hid! I did what she said! But, she fell, and I ran. I hurt my knees, and I ran. She didn't move. I yelled, but she didn't move!"

Sobs started to seep into her words.

"She f-fell. She got hurt. I did what she said. Why did she get hurt? I tried...I tried, Mommy. She d-didn't move. Why? Why?"

Miranda burrowed in the arms around her as she broke down again.

Bianca felt the lump grow in her throat, cutting off her ability to speak. Her chest hurt and her head ached. She crushed the tiny body against her own.

The shooting. Miranda was reliving the shooting.

Oh god, her baby was reliving Frankie's shooting.

Bianca clenched her eyes shut as tears of her own fell, mingling with her daughter's. "She's ok. Frankie will be fine. It's not your fault."

"I r-ran, but she told me t-to! We l-left Frankie!"

Bianca stifled a cry as she hugged Miranda. She fought against the memories those few words invoked. Memories of a seventeen year old girl running away, leaving the one girl who held her heart. Leaving, only to return to a dead body.

She couldn't think about that now. Not now, not ever. It was over and done with. She needed to focus on Miranda. Her poor sweet innocent child who was forced to witness an unspeakable act.

"It's not your fault, darling. Never think that. Frankie wouldn't want you to think that."

"S-she...she..."

"She's ok. She's going to come back to us. So, we need to be ready for her. Right?"

Miranda hiccuped and turned her face to peer up at her mother.

"We got to be ready for Frankie. She wouldn't want us to be sad, would she? She would want us to be happy." Bianca plastered a smile on her face. "She'd want you happy. Think you can be happy for Frankie?"

Miranda slowly nodded, her chin quivering.

"Frankie would not want you blaming yourself, either. Don't ever think any of this is your fault, because it's not. Other people tried to hurt Frankie, so she has to get better. When she does, she'll want to see you."

"Yeah?" Miranda sniffed.

"Absolutely."

Miranda nodded, a hint of a grin appearing. She scrubbed at her cheeks, at the trails of tears.

Holding her daughter, Bianca took a moment before continuing, "You really love Frankie, don't you?"

"Frankie's the best." Miranda agreed, "She always plays with me, and she makes me feel happy, and..."

"And what, darling?"

"and she makes you happy, too."

Bianca marveled at her perceptiveness. "She does. She makes me very happy."

"You make her happy, too."

"Oh, yeah? Did she tell you that?"

"Her ears get red when you're together, and she turned red when I told her I saw you." Miranda got out before freezing. Was she supposed ta tell her mommy about that?

Bianca laughed, "She does turn red. What did you see?"

Miranda shrugged.

"You can tell me. I wont get mad."

"You two kissing." Miranda whispered before rushing, "I asked if you were gonna get married, 'cause married people kiss, like Auntie Kendall and Uncle Zach, but she said no 'cause you're married to Reese, but you can stop being married to Reese and marry Frankie, 'cause Frankie would like that."

Bianca processed what she was being told, taking her time to separate the hurried words. As it finally sunk in, a short gasp escaped her lips. "Miranda, y-you want me to marry Frankie?"

Miranda shrugged, hiding her face.

"Do you? Miranda, it's ok, just tell me. You want Frankie to become a part of our family?" Bianca cupped her daughter's chin, lifting it up so she could see her eyes.

"Frankie is family. I jus' want you to marry her. She wants you to, too."

"She is family." Bianca blinked back the emotion that statement brought out. "But, honey, how do you know she wants to marry me?"

A look of exasperation took over Miranda's features, "She gets red and always smiles at you. Like in the movies. Who else does that?"

Bianca burst out laughing, unable to hold it in, "I guess you're right."

* * *

After her talk with Miranda, Bianca went back to finish dinner. Reese was still working on her drawings, not even noticing that the other woman had been gone. Dinner was quiet, Reese making small talk about work while Bianca awkwardly answered. After the meal, Miranda went to bed, the long day and the nightmare taking a lot out of her. Gabrielle soon followed.

Bianca changed into her pajamas and slipped into bed, opening the poetry book. She pretended to read the words, her ears pricked to hear any movement towards either of her children's rooms. She jumped a little as the bedroom door squeaked open, and slammed the book shut.

"I thought you might like a nightcap." Reese entered, carrying two glasses of wine. She walked over to Bianca, leaning down for a kiss before handing over the glass. "It's been a long day at work for both of us."

Bianca warily peeked into the glass before setting it off on her side table.

Reese took a healthy sip from hers, "This job has been so hectic. I can't wait till it's over." She took another mouthful, "Oh, by the way, I just found out the firm is having this get together for a bunch of clients. We have to dress up and woo them for business. It's tomorrow night at six. They're expecting us to be there."

"A party tomorrow?" Bianca asked confused.

"I know, it's really soon, but they just told all of us today in a meeting." Reese looked apologetic.

"That's really soon."

"I know, but think. There'll be music, and dancing, and lots of champagne." Reese smirked. She walked over to the door, shutting it gently before making her way back to the bed.

Bianca watched as the blonde approached the bed. Reaching the edge, she placed one knee on the soft surface before placing the other one on it. She dropped forward, her sleek body crawling towards the brunette. With a feral look on her face, she smashed their lips together, her body quickly flipping over onto Bianca's.

Surprised at the sudden attack, Bianca pushed back into her pillow, breaking the kiss. Reese took the opportunity to rip her shirt off, throwing it to the side. She dove back in for a kiss, but Bianca's hands on her shoulders stopped her.

"I'm tired. I'm really not feeling up to it." Bianca said as she pushed against the bare shoulders.

"What? Bianca, it's been so long. I've missed you so much."

"I know, but I'm so tired." Bianca faked a yawn.

"Bianca, it's early. The kids are asleep. You'll have plenty of time to sleep later. You can't be that tired. What's stopping you?"

"Reese,"

Reese grabbed her hand, moving it from her shoulder to cup a bra clad breast. She held it there, guiding the finger to kneed the satin covered flesh.

"It feels so good. I know you want this. We've never gone this long without sex." She leaned down and nipped at Bianca's neck. Her other hand sneaked down, covertly sliding under the covers and below the waistband of the brunette's sleep pants.

"I know you want me. I know you want this." her fingers grazed the strip of cloth covering her center.

Bianca swallowed thickly, her heart speeding up. This wasn't right. She didn't want this. God, she didn't want this.

"I'm your wife. I love you. I love you so much. Don't you love me? Don't you want to show me how much?" was breathed in her ear as she felt three fingers push their way inside her.

Bianca closed her eyes tightly, holding in a scream. She bit her tongue so hard, she tasted blood as lips and teeth nibbled at her neck and chest. Visions of a crackling fire, gentle caresses, and warm brown eyes sparked in her mind.

"Don't stop." Reese ordered, panting against her ear. Long fingers wrapped more forcefully around her own, squeezing the blonde's breast with more purpose.

Flashes of smirking lips and loving touches played across her eyelids, contrasting with the rough touch and biting lips.

She didn't want this. She did not want this SHE DID NOT WANT THIS!

With strength she had forgotten she had, Bianca flung the blonde off of her. Reese pitched to the side, her hands flinging out to stop her from tumbling off the bed.

"What is wrong with you?" she panted with narrow anger filled eyes.

"I said no, Reese." Bianca spoke firmly, her arms crossing protectively over her chest.

Reese glared at her, "Fine, act like a bitch."

That night Bianca slept with one eye open, wondering what her actions would bring for both her and her children. Not to mention, she had a party to prepare for.


	44. Chapter 42

If there was only one word allowed to describe the Williams' apartment the next morning, it would have to be tense. Tense accurately portrayed the atmosphere in the expensive rooms. Reese woke up with the alarm clock like normal. She rolled out of bed and traipsed to the shower, dressing herself in a pair of tight designer trousers and a frilly green top. She didn't comment as Bianca chose to skip her morning shower. She didn't comment at Bianca's lack of communication with her. The brunette was always within eyesight but did not say a word. Reese didn't really comment on anything. She met her wife's cold stare with an unreadable expression. One might say it was a sense of stoicism, but Reese Williams was never known for being stoic. Thus, Bianca was left to wonder what the architect was really feeling.

Breakfast was a silent affair. Even the children picked up on the tension. Miranda was subdued, poking at her healthy cereal in nonfat milk with a distinct lack of energy. She gazed longingly once or twice at the top shelf of the cabinets, the one Frankie had fallen from so long ago. Behind that wooden door sat the box of Cap'n Crunch she had begged her mother to buy. Once Frankie came home they could eat it together, but not before. It was Frankie's cereal, and no one ate it without her.

After the quiet meal, Reese gathered her things to go to work while Bianca prepared the children to go out.

"I can take them with me to work." Reese offered.

"I'd rather take them with me. Besides, you're really busy with your project."

"Speaking of which, do not forget about the party tonight. Pierre says he wants to go for a family type of soiree, so the children need to be ready to go." Reese snapped her briefcase shut with an audible click.

"You didn't say Miranda and Gabrielle were going."

"I must have forgot." Reese slid her coat on, tying the sash at her waist.

Bianca rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. Anyone within a five mile radius had a good chance of feeling the cold anger she was projecting. She had tried to see the good in Reese. She had tried to think of a way the other woman was not involved.

Not anymore.

Last night had been the final nail in the coffin, so to speak. Someone who loved her would never do what Reese had done last night. Loving someone did not mean forcing themselves on the other person. She was going to protect her children from someone who would even contemplate doing such an act. As the mother stared into those blank brown eyes, she made a promise to herself and to her children. Reese was not going to get away with this.

Reese picked up her briefcase and stepped to the front door. She griped the handle and turned to face the brunette. "Remember, the party is at six. Make sure the children are ready to go. Oh, and look out for some man downstairs. He blared his car horn at me and nearly tackled me to the ground. I told the doorman about it, but who knows what he did."

With that said, she was gone, the door swinging shut behind her. Bianca waited a few moments, holding her breath as she tried to listen to the retreating footsteps. Once she was certain Reese was no longer there, she abruptly spun around and rushed to Miranda's room.

The little girl looked up in surprise as her mother ran into her room. Gabrielle was curled against her side, the older sister unsuccessfully trying to teach her a hand clapping game. They both watched as Bianca threw open the closet door and dug around. She quickly pulled out the two pieces of luggage she had hidden there before.

"Miranda, let's go. Put your shoes on and grab your coat." Bianca ordered. She picked up Gabby and the bags as the child hopped off the bed and disappeared down the hall. By the time Bianca was able to juggle both the infant and the bags to the front door, Miranda was ready to go, her mother's coat draped across her arms.

Bianca smiled down at her and shuffled the heavy coat on, "Thank you, honey."

Miranda beamed up at her and tugged open the door, leading the way down the hallway. "Are we goin' to see Frankie, Mommy?"

"Not yet, sweetie." Bianca huffed as she tried to keep up with her excited daughter.

They arrived at the elevator and rode it down, Bianca letting the bags drop to the ground for a brief reprieve. The moment the doors dinged open, she hefted them back up into her arms and strode across the lobby, Miranda a few steps ahead of her. She wondered if Jones was still across the street waiting.

A kindly older gentleman opened the door for the family with a tip of his head. Bianca graced him with a tiny smile and walked out into the fresh morning air. She scanned the area, looking for Jones and the car.

What she saw made her jaw clench with irritation.

"Mrs. Williams, so good to see you again." Luke approached the family with a cheesy smile on his face.

Jones waved from behind him with a sheepish look, "Good morning, Mrs. Williams."

"Good morning, Agent Jones. Director." Bianca smiled at Jones before turning a hardened gaze to the official. "What are you doing here?"

"We're here to give you a ride." Michaels answered. He reached for one of the bags, having a mini tug-of-war with the mother before she relinquished. He then gestured to the awaiting car.

Jones politely took the other bag from her and escorted the family to the car. Michaels tossed the bag into the trunk, leaving it open for Jones as he slid into the driver's seat. Jones deposited the other bag in the trunk and shut it before guiding Bianca into the passenger seat. He then helped Miranda into the backseat, slipping in beside her.

"I thought you wanted to keep everything normal. It's not normal for me to be approached by an FBI director." Bianca kept her voice even.

Michaels started the car and put it in gear. He pulled out into the street slowly. "Mrs. Williams, you haven't listened to a single thing I've told you, yet. Instead of you having to keep sneaking around and playing detective, I thought I'd go to you."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Bianca glanced at Jones in the rear view mirror. He gently shook his head, indicating he wasn't the one who tattled.

"Lady, you've been sniffing around our office. You've been sniffing around your wife's office. I have agents watching these places. You think I don't know what's going on? I know a lot more than you think."

"Why are you here?"

Luke grit his teeth, "This is an FBI investigation. This is so much bigger than you could possibly imagine, and what I see is some rich girl CEO trying to play agent. You are going to mess the whole thing up."

"Because you have it under control? Do you know how to do your job?" Bianca stared coldly at him.

"I assure you, I know what I'm doing. Just because you're sleeping with an agent doesn't mean you know how to be one." he shot back.

Bianca's eyes widened, "Don't you dare!"

Jones subtly covered Miranda's ears, the child giving him a strange look.

Luke chuckled to himself, "I don't know what Stone's been letting you get away with, but it stops now. You are not a part of this investigation. You are not an agent. You are not privy to our intelligence."

"Intelligence?" Bianca scoffed. "If you had so much intelligence, you'd already have arrested them by now."

"Clearly, you are not understanding me. You were never supposed to know about this."

"Well, I do! I know that my wife wants to kill my daughter. I know that Frankie was shot."

Luke imperceptibly tightened his grip on the steering wheel. He pulled into a parking spot and cut the engine. "Get out."

"What?" Bianca was startled at the sudden order.

Jones opened the back door and crawled out. He lifted Miranda out of her seat and set her on the ground. Luke pocketed the keys and left the car as well.

Confused, Bianca scrambled out of the vehicle, "What are you doing?"

"Why does junior put up with this?" Luke thought. He then spoke, "You won't listen to me. I don't know if you'll listen to anyone, really. So, you can tell me what you know. Since you have to play detective and all."

He then stormed into the building, Jones and Miranda right behind him. Looking at the building for the first time, Bianca held in a gasp. It was Maggie's building.

* * *

Tense seemed to be the word of the day. The walk to Maggie and Ally's door was tense. It was very tense.

Luke loudly rapped his knuckles against the door. A second later Ally opened it, staring in confusion at the group assembled outside. She stepped back and let them in, calling out for Maggie who appeared a minute later.

"What's going on?" the doctor asked as she stood next to her girlfriend.

"You've been messing around with my investigation. I'd like to know what you've found out." Luke got straight to the point.

"We found evidence." Bianca cradled Gabrielle against her shoulder, focus on the older man.

"What kind of evidence?" Luke darted his gaze between the three women, "This is your time to tell me what you know."

"We found financial documents from Cambias." Maggie answered.

"Some of them are about Miranda's shares in the company, her controlling stock." Ally added.

"Which is why we have to arrest Reese." Bianca finished.

Luke raised an eyebrow at her, "Why don't you let me see those files."

Ally headed to the bedroom, returning a few seconds later with a folder full of papers. Luke took them from her and instantly started to read the pages.

"There's no reason for her to have those. She shouldn't have been able to get them." Bianca explained.

Luke nodded his head as he continued to read, indicating that he heard what she said.

"We need to arrest Reese. You have evidence to arrest her. This, the phone call." Bianca waved her hand at the folder.

"We're not arresting Reese. Not yet." Luke flipped a page.

"What? What do you mean you aren't arresting Reese?" Bianca's head whipped around to stare at the man.

"I said we are not arrestin' her."

Noticing Bianca starting to get worked up, Ally hastily stepped up to the brunette and lifted Gabrielle out of her arms. As she moved back to stand near Maggie, the doctor was shaking her head. This was not going to be pretty.

"She's after my daughter!"

"She's not who we're after!"

"She's involved in a plot to kill Miranda!"

"And until we find the definitive connection between that and the Goldsteins, we are not arresting anybody." Luke shut the folder.

"No." Bianca forcefully shook her head, "You are not going to put my daughter's life in danger. If you don't arrest her, I will! I will catch her."

Luke folded his arms across his chest, "You'll what? Are you insane?"

Bianca walked until she stood toe-to-toe with him, "I will not let her hurt my daughter. Do you hear me?"

"This could bring down one of the biggest drug and diamond smugglers in the world!"

"My daughter is more important than any stupid smuggler. I will do anything to protect her." Bianca seethed.

"This is years of hard work. Years of people's lives."

"This is a six year old girl."

"Who will be protected."

"Damn you!" Bianca shoved him, "They already tried to kill her once. I will not let Reese try to again!"

Luke bristled at the small attack. "What are you going to do? Huh? What's your plan?"

Panting, "Reese's firm is having a party tonight. I can corner her there."

"No. No way." Luke shook his head.

"If you won't catch her, I will!"

"Fine. We'll arrest her. But you are not going anywhere near it."

"Yes, I am."

"Bianca," Maggie spoke up, "it's dangerous. You can't do this by yourself." She glanced at Ally, "We'll go with you."

"No, no, no." Luke made a cutting motion with his hand, "None of you are participating in this."

"You said Reese was going to this party. We can set up a trap for her." Maggie continued.

"The party's for the firm. That's her connection with the bad guys, right? She might try to meet with them there, and we can catch her in the act." Ally thought aloud.

"Exactly. That would be perfect." Bianca agreed.

"No, you are not doing that." Luke stared at them.

"We'll sneak into the party and act like guests. Once we see her meet with them, we'll catch her." Ally planned out.

"I can not let you do this."

"Maggie, we can't let her see you. She might mistake you for Frankie." Bianca pointed out.

"I'll mingle and hide."

"That's enough! Mrs. Williams, may I talk to you for a second." Luke growled.

Bianca gazed at him for a minute before rolling her eyes and stomping off to the other side of the room, the director following.

"What?" she faced him with a huff.

He took a deep breath, trying to keep his anger in check, "Mrs. Williams, do you understand what you're doing?"

"Yes."

"I don't think you do." he waved a shaky finger, "You want to put yourself and potentially your daughter in a dangerous situation."

"We have to catch Reese as soon as possible." Bianca stubbornly replied.

"God damn it! Don't you get it? You have to stay out of this. You have to stay safe. Stone got hurt protecting your daughter. Do you get that? She was shot keeping you and your daughter safe. And now you want to go off and put yourself in harm's way?"

Bianca fought down the memories of her daughter crying, screaming out the agent's name. She bit her lip roughly as the terrified shouts rang in her ears, "Don't you dare act like I don't care. I love her!"

"Then why put yourselves at risk when she almost died saving you?"

Frankie almost died saving Miranda. Oh god, she was shot because of Miranda. These two sentences kept repeating over and over in her mind. Frankie had saved her little girl.

"I have to do this. For Miranda and Frankie. I have to catch the woman who wanted to kill them."

Luke slapped his forehead at the declaration. "Damn it, why is this happening? Stupid insane broads."

"I have to help Frankie. She would want to keep Miranda safe. If you won't do it, I will."

"I've helped her a lot more than you ever will. Don't act like you're some big saving grace for her." Luke spat out.

"How have you helped her? By not catching her shooter? I love her."

"God damn it, don't think you're the only one who cares. Just because you suddenly popped back in her life doesn't mean you won't tear it down again."

"What are you talking about? Who do you think you are?"

Luke furiously shook his head, pinching his eyes closed, "I never should have sent her here. I never..."

"You sent her to Paris?"

"To help her!" Luke shouted. "She messed up and I covered her ass. She wasn't supposed to meet you. I told her not to talk to you. I shoulda known better. Junior...junior never let it go."

"Junior? Messed up?" Bianca whispered to herself.

Luke didn't hear her, lost in his thoughts. "She's a damn good agent. One of the best. She could be really big. But, she doesn't always use her head." He pointed a finger at the brunette, "And she gets fucking stupid when it comes to you."

"Me? This is my fault?"

"God damn, you messed her up. But she wouldn't let it go. Anything to do with Bianca fucking Montgomery and she stopped using her head. You can't do that. Jesus, that's why she got shot in the first place. She used her heart instead of her head, and Proteus drew blood."

"What are you talking about? I didn't do anything."

"And she's so good at her job. I would be so...proud of her. But she would mess up. She screwed up again, and I sent her here. She was supposed to calm down, lay low. I..." guilt crept into his voice, "I sent her here. If I hadn't of sent her here..."

"How did she mess up?" Bianca tried desperately to follow along to the man's tirade.

"She...it doesn't matter. What matters is that junior would kill me if anything happened to you. I don't like you. I really don't. I prayed that she would listen to me and stay away from you. But, I will not let anything happen to you or your family."

Bianca swallowed thickly and nodded, "I'm still going after Reese." She would not back down. It was the only way to keep Miranda safe.

Luke stared at her for a moment before dropping his head, "Then I guess we better make a good plan."

As he walked back towards Maggie and Ally, the two women watching them intently, Bianca strongly said, "I love Frankie."

"Yeah, just as much as last time, right?"

With that parting shot, Luke focused on Maggie and Ally, reluctantly engaging them in discussion concerning how they would be included in an FBI operation. Bianca soon joined, Michaels' last words to her playing in her head. What had he meant?

While they all talked, no one noticed as Jones cellphone began to vibrate. He jumped slightly at the startling movement, causing Miranda to give him a weird look before returning to drawing. The agent had supplied her with a pencil and paper, and she was sprawled out on the floor, creating another masterpiece to give to Frankie.

Flipping his phone open, Jones hesitantly answered. His eyes widened. He glanced at everyone before sneaking off down the hall, where he could still hear them, but they couldn't hear him.


	45. Chapter 43

The small room was illuminated. The whiteness of the mixed marble and porcelain gleamed in the brightness. The mirror shined, the room and its occupant captured in its crisp reflection. Bianca stared at her likeliness for a second, scrutinizing her appearance. With a flick of the wrist, a tube of lipstick appeared. She bent forward and puckered her lips, the warm red cosmetic sliding smoothly across the pink flesh. After a few swipes, she leaned back and began to rub her lips together. The lipstick was closed and the golden tube absently put back with the rest of the Fusion products.

"You look very pretty, Mommy."

Bianca couldn't help but smile at her daughter's voice. With one final overall look, she stepped back from the mirror, deeming herself ready. She turned to face the girl, her smile only growing at the sight. Miranda sat on the edge of her mother's bed, her tiny legs kicking back and forth with vigor. Her pale blue dress was hiking up with each forceful kick, revealing her white leather shoes and stockings.

"Thank you, honey. You look very pretty, too."

Miranda beamed at the comment. She watched as her parent walked back into the bedroom, shutting off the light and closing the door behind her. Her legs swung faster the closer her mother got, and when the woman was within feet of the bed, she thrust her arms and hands out.

Chuckling at the enthusiasm, Bianca swooped down and lifted the giggling girl into her arms before carefully sitting down in the now empty spot. She smoothed out her short black dress while Miranda wiggled around before settling in her lap.

"Are you ready for Reese's party?" Bianca wrapped her arms around the girl and held her close.

Miranda nodded her head and leaned back into the embrace, her head resting comfortably against Bianca's chest.

"There's going to be lots of people there from her work, so we have to be on our best behavior." Bianca continued.

Mentally, she went over the plan again. Director Michaels had been very adamant that his agents take the brunt of the action. He would allow Maggie and Ally to be there because it would save him time from having to post agents to look out for them possibly sneaking in. They, along with a number of agents, would mingle among the crowd acting as guests. There would also be agents surveying the building. Bianca and the children would act normal, attending the event with Reese. An agent would be assigned to follow them, watching out for the trio. If Carrington or anyone else associated with the Goldsteins showed up, the agents would move in. Bianca was, at that time, supposed to get as far away from the situation as possible. This was for the FBI only. Her part was to be normal, then get the hell out of the way.

"Mommy?"

Bianca was brought out of her musings, "Yes, sweetie?"

Miranda picked at her dress, "Will Frankie be at the party?"

"No, honey. Frankie's still getting better."

Miranda thought about this for a moment. "Mommy?"

"Yes?"

"Will...will Frankie be better by Christmas?"

Bianca paused at the unexpected question and chewed on her bottom lip. She glanced down to see Miranda staring up at her, brown eyes seeking an answer. "I don't know. Why are you asking?"

Miranda shrugged her little shoulders, "It's gonna be Christmas soon. We still gotsta get a tree, and presents, and visit Father Christmas, but Frankie could come. I think she'd like the lights and ice skating, 'cause they're a lot of fun. She could help us get a tree and presents."

"She could." Bianca said, not wanting to speak too much. Her voice might give away the emotions her daughter's request was filling her with.

"Frankie could stay with us. We'd play lots of games and sing songs, and she could go to my show. You guys went last time. I promise not to mess up again. I'll be real good. D-do you think she'd come?"

Bianca swallowed hard at the hopeful eyes shining bright, "I think she would love it."

The brunette didn't know much about what the agent had been doing for the past eight years, but she did know a little about her life before then. She knew the Stones never celebrated Christmas. The twins' mother was usually too drunk to even remember that it was winter and minus ten degrees out, let alone her children might want a little Christmas spirit. When she was seventeen and full of naïve hopes and dreams of a future with the rascally vagabond she had grown to love, Bianca had thought endlessly of spending the holidays with Frankie. What it would be like to sit around the fire with steaming cups of hot cocoa, laughing and telling stories. Going to bed Christmas eve in each other's arms to wake up Christmas morning to a houseful of presents and happy family. Unfortunately, Frankie was gone before she could even decide on a gift. Hell, she was gone before a lot of things.

The sound of a door opening and closing echoed into the room, and Bianca took a deep breath. She cleared her mind and loosened her tensing shoulders.

Reese stood in the doorway a minute later, having already dressed for the party somewhere else, probably her office. She looked expectantly at her wife, "Are you ready?"

Bianca gazed up at her, eyes filled with steely determination.

"Yes, we are."

* * *

The party was taking place in one of the firm's partner's homes. It was a rather large estate, located a short drive outside of the city. Most of the evening's guests had congregated inside the ballroom, if it could be called that. Furniture had been cleared away to produce a serviceable dance floor, and a string quartet was positioned in the corner, cranking out the likes of Mozart and Bach. A short buffet of treats was located in the sitting room, and a portion of the minglers had gathered there to stand or sit around and gossip while downing wine and cheese bits.

Maggie and Ally entered the house, the man hired for the night taking their coats and handing them a number. Ally slipped the scraps of paper into her silver clutch. Her silver dress glimmered in the florescent lights, and her red hair was scooped up to rest messily on the top of her head. Maggie stood next to her, the green dress flowing down to her knees to reveal toned legs. She held her girlfriend's hand and watched as numerous people strolled by, all either knowing each other or too drunk to care that they were babbling with a complete stranger.

"So, this is what a rich person's party is like." Ally watched a couple stumble by, a glass of red wine in each hand.

"Wait till the drama starts happening." Maggie tried to calm her nerves. This was it. They were part of some insane FBI investigation, and they were going to attempt to catch world renown mafia figures. Oh boy.

Seeing the hesitation in the brunette's face, Ally squeezed her hand before tugging her forward, "Well, let's get this party started. Get me a drink?"

Maggie followed, her eyes darting across every face that passed by.

They followed a group of laughing suits into the sitting room, discovering the source of the fun. The women walked over to the do-it-yourself bar and perused the offerings.

"Red or white, baby?" Ally asked, picking up a bottle to read the label. When she didn't hear a response, she peeked over at her silent partner. "Maggie? Red or white?"

"Hmmm...oh. Red would be fine." Maggie broke out of her stare to indicate the bottle the redhead was holding.

Ally grabbed two clean glasses and poured a healthy amount into each. She passed one to Maggie and took a sip from her own. The instant the glass was in her hand, Maggie took a large gulp, taking nearly half the liquid down in one breath.

"Honey, you need to calm down." Ally quietly spoke with concern.

"We're trying to catch people who tried to kill my sister and who want to kill Miranda. I'm as calm as I'm going to be." She's a doctor, not a spy, for crying out loud.

"The FBI has this under control. Everything will work out. I'm sure they do this all the time."

"If they do this all the time, they would have already done it." Maggie took another gulp of wine.

As Ally tried to calm the other woman's nerves, Bianca and Reese entered the house, Gabrielle in Reese's arms while Miranda held tightly to the brunette's hand. They checked their coats and moved further into the house, projecting the aura of a cohesive family unit. Reese smiled and greeted people she knew, coworkers and clients alike. Bianca politely met each and every one, shaking hands and laughing at stupid jokes that might have been funny back in the 1950's.

"Mommy, I'm thirsty." Miranda pointed at the room with food.

"Let's see if we can get you some juice." Bianca said before looking at Reese, "I'm going to see if there's anything for the children here. Miranda's thirsty."

Reese finished shaking another client's hand, "I'll go with you."

They slowly meandered through the crowd and into the sitting room.

Ally and Maggie were still standing next to the wine selection, the doctor needing another refill. "Maggie, maybe we should walk around and look for the people they showed us the pictures of." Ally waved towards the ballroom.

While her girlfriend had been talking, Maggie's eyes slowly widened until she was doing a very good impression of a deer caught in the headlights. Noticing the look, Ally shook her head, "What?"

"They're here."

Ally glanced over her shoulder to see Bianca and Reese moving closer to them, "Oh."

"They can't see me."

Ally whipped her head back around, "We have to hide."

"Where?"

They both frantically looked around. Spotting a window with the curtains closed, they rushed over, their wine sloshing dangerously in the glasses. Without batting an eye, they threw themselves behind the curtain, draping themselves in the velvet material.

Reese and Bianca reached the buffet, having just missed the spectacular display of run and hide.

"They don't have much here." Bianca grabbed a bottle of water and opened it before handing the plastic container to her daughter.

"Wine's big in France, you know that. Even the kids drink it." Reese poured herself a glass of white wine.

Bianca gave her a look, "You said this was for families. Gabrielle and Miranda are the only children here, not to mention all the people walking around already drunk."

Reese shook her head, "They told me to bring the family. Do you want to leave? I have a lot of clients I need to speak with, and it would be very helpful if my wife was by my side when I did that."

Bianca rolled her eyes and took the bottle back from Miranda, the little girl finished. She gave the blonde a tight smile, "Well, let's go meet those clients."

Reese tightly took the brunette's hand and guided her away from the room. Waiting a few seconds to make sure the coast was clear, Maggie and Ally pulled back the curtains. Director Michaels' face greeted them, a raised eyebrow and a laughing smirk highlighting his features.

"Having a good time staying inconspicuous?"

"Director Michaels." Ally greeted while Maggie took another sip of wine.

He looked them over, "Hiding behind a curtain, you must watch a lot of television."

"Shouldn't you be watching Bianca?" Maggie shot back.

He glanced over at her, "I assure you, we are all watching out for Mrs. Williams' safety. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a criminal to catch. Please, try not to draw too much attention to yourselves."

Maggie glared at him as he left, "I hate that guy."

"You don't know him."

"He acts so...ahhh. He reminds me of Frankie." Maggie waved her hands to emphasize her point.

"That's a bad thing?" Ally steered them toward the ballroom.

"You haven't met my sister. You'd know what I mean."

Flashing back to a less than pleasant conversation about Notre Dame, Ally replied, "I think I might, actually."

Entering the ballroom was a feat unto itself. The place was becoming more and more packed, the number of people attending swelling with each passing tick of the clock. Maggie and Ally's hands stuck together, lifelines in the sea of faces and bodies.

Passing by groups of people, they each wondered who was on their side. Who was an agent? Were the bad guys there, yet? Michaels had explained that the majority of the focus would be on detecting any Goldstein associates. What he meant was everyone would be concentrating on finding a needle in a haystack.

"Do you see them?" Maggie asked, swirling the last swallow of wine in her glass before tipping it back.

"No."

They roamed around some more, being very careful to stay out of Reese's eyesight. The blonde had a firm arm wrapped around her wife's waist while she spoke with different people. The gesture could be construed as loving, possessive, or caging. The duo wondered which one it really was. Bianca kept a smile on her face, but anyone who took the time to study her eyes would see the cold determination deep within. The only reason she allowed Reese to touch her was so she had a chance to capture the architect. There was no comfort between the two anymore, no caring or playfulness. This was an act, and they both were the actors.

A light bump to the shoulder diverted Bianca's attention, and she glanced up to see Johnson. He gave her an apologetic look, "Sorry about that, ma'am."

She nodded her head, and he walked off. Her eyes lingered on him for a second, but Reese's voice brought her back to the conversation at hand.

Maggie and Ally stood near the far wall, scanning the people while keeping an eye on the current Cambias CEO and the future Cambias CEO. Ally felt laughter bubble up inside as she listened to Maggie humming. "Secret Agent Man?"

Maggie kept on humming the tune, rocking back and forth on her feet.

"Are you drunk?" Ally placed a hand on her shoulder.

"No, I'm just loosened up." Maggie finished the song.

As she geared up for another rendition of a radio classic, she felt the man next to her stiffen. A sense of seriousness enveloped the area, and the two women glanced at each other. Their eyes shifted to follow the man's line of vision.

There, across the room, was Andrew Carrington.

They held their breath, both recognizing the man from the picture. The gentleman standing near them slowly pushed away from the wall and moved forward. They watch in odd fascination as, from all corners of the room, well dressed men and women lazily moved closer and closer to that section of the room. The agents had spotted their target.

Johnson heard the cackle in his earpiece, the gruff voice telling him to stay in position with Williams. He stood a few yards away from the family, his eyes flitting back and forth between them and the group he was pretending to engage with.

Suddenly, a loud bang sounded, causing everyone to duck.

Maggie and Ally hunched back against the wall, their eyes wildly swerving around. Was that a gun? Was someone shot? What happened?

A burst of laughter and shouting spilled forward, and they finally spotted what had caused the commotion.

Johnson heard the familiar crackle in his ear and fixed his gaze on the commotion.

"Just a champagne bottle. No gun. I repeat, no gun."

He shared a relieved chuckle with the couple next to him and turned to check on the Williams.

Maggie squinted her eyes, a sense of dread taking over for her nerves. "Where is she?"

"Who?" Ally tried to see what Maggie was looking for.

"Bianca and Miranda. Where are they? I can't see them!"

* * *

Reese pulled Bianca along, leading her down the darkened hallway. Miranda followed, her hand clutched in her mother's.

"Reese, where are we going?"

The blonde didn't stop, "There's something I want to show you."

"Can't it wait?" Bianca tried to pull back, but Reese kept them moving with a strength Bianca didn't know she possessed.

"It'll only take a moment." Reese approached a closed door. She pushed it open and stepped inside, forcing the other two in as well. She closed the door behind them and leaned back against it, blocking off any attempt to go through.

"What is this all about?" Bianca faced her, Miranda at her side.

The room was lit by a few lamps, the bulbs casting eery shadows across the landscape. An old wooden desk sat near the back corner, a worn chair behind it. A wardrobe stood across the room from the desk.

"Over there, in the desk. I have a gift for you." Reese nodded at the furniture.

Bianca stared at her, a sense of foreboding growing within. Something was not right.

"Go on, I promise you'll like it." Reese coaxed.

Not wanting to alert the blonde that she thought something was wrong, Bianca slowly moved towards the furniture. If she played this right, she might find out something about the investigation.

Reese followed them, moving over to the wardrobe as Bianca and Miranda approached the desk. Reese opened the wooden structure, pulling out a bassinet and setting a sleepy Gabby down inside. "There you go."

"Reese, what's supposed to be over here?" the desk was empty, and the drawers were locked. "Is it something about that job you've been working on for so long?"

Reese reached back into the wardrobe, "It is, actually. It's almost finished. I thought you'd like to see the end."

Bianca pushed Miranda behind her, "Oh, you're done? That's great." She glanced at the door, measuring how many steps it would take to get there.

"It is, it really is." Reese turned around, a gun pointed at Bianca.

A gasp escaped the brunette, and she held Miranda behind her. She stared at the cold metal in the blonde's hand, "Reese, put that away. You don't know what you're doing."

Reese chuckled, "I do think I know what I'm doing, actually."

Bianca clenched her jaw, fear for her daughter overpowering everything else, "I won't let you hurt her, Reese. I don't know why you would do this. You love her. We're a family."

Reese burst into laughter at that, "I know! I do Bianca, I do know that." She raised her free hand, shaking a finger at the brunette, "That's why I tried to make this good for you. I did. I wanted to make your last night memorable, but you just had to be a bitch about it. You're my family, my wife. But you didn't want to fuck, so I guess you didn't get that great last night on earth. But, don't forget, I did try. Because we're family."

Bianca tried not to shiver at the maniacal tone coating the woman's words, "My last night?"

"Sorry, guess I should explain." Reese grinned, "I'm going to kill both of you."

Bianca felt the air rush out of her.

The grin fell from Reese's face, and she spoke conversationally as she moved closer to the two, "You see, this job has just been difficult from the start. I tried to get this done, but no one else seemed able to do it. So I have to. Don't worry, Gabrielle won't be without a mother. I'll make it look like a murder-suicide. You just couldn't handle having your rapist's blood staring back at you everyday, reminding you."

Bianca felt Miranda shivering behind her, "It's ok, honey. We're going to be ok." Bianca consoled her. She glared at Reese, "You bitch!"

"Now Bianca, no need for language." Reese waved the gun at her.

As Reese got within reach, Bianca's mind went completely blank. She wouldn't be able to tell you what happened. She moved on instinct.

Reese jumped back as Bianca launched herself at her, blunt nails clawing at the blonde's face. Reese ducked her head, blood oozing out across her cheeks as her skin was torn away. She pushed at the raging mother, fist and gun swinging wildly.

Bianca slapped her again and again, palms taking the place of nails as she drove the woman back. A primordial scream rang out as she fought, kicking and punching at the one who dared attack her family.

Reese swung and slammed the gun down on Bianca's head, stunning the brunette. She pushed the woman back, watching as she staggered and fell against the desk, blood spilling from the cut on her head, mixing with her dark hair.

"Mommy!" Miranda shouted.

"Damn it!" Reese wiped at the blood on her face, staring at the streaks of red now on her fingertips.

"You hurt Mommy!" Miranda yelled as she sprinted at the blonde. She flew up and kicked at the architect, hitting her shin with all her might.

Reese reached down and grabbed her by the scruff of her neck, tossing her next to her mother. Miranda banged against the wood, her head smacking against it and causing her to become dizzy.

"Miranda." Bianca slid down, pulling the little girl into her arms. Miranda shook, tears rolling down her face.

"What the hell! You stupid slut!" Reese alternated between wiping the blood away and inspecting her shin.

Bianca wrapped her body around Miranda, "I will not let you hurt her."

"Little late for that."

"Go to hell." Bianca seethed, Miranda's face buried against her neck.

"Whatever." Reese pointed the gun at them.

Bianca cringed, moving so her body covered Miranda's completely.

"I guess I should ask if you have any last words." Reese idly said.

"How about...put the fucking gun down?" a voice called out.

Reese froze, her eyes slowly sliding over to look at the newcomer.

Frankie smirked back, "Oh, sorry. You weren't talking to me. My bad."

Reese's mouth fell open as she looked at the gun pointed at her. "What?"

Frankie kept the gun trained on her, "Put the gun down."

At those first words, Bianca felt an emotion she had never felt before and would probably never feel again. It was indescribable. Her whole body felt...light. For one moment, all of the fear and anger and sadness just washed away. She felt hope, pure hope.

She glanced over at the agent, her eyes sparkling with pure unadulterated love. Frankie was here.

"Who the hell are you?" Reese couldn't decide whether or not to keep the gun trained on Bianca or point it at the new person.

"Aww, you don't remember me? That hurts. That really hurts." Frankie kept her eyes on the blonde. She then addressed Bianca, worry tinging her words, "Bianca, you ok? Is Miranda with you?"

"We're...we're ok." Bianca choked out, hugging the little girl.

"Ok, I'm going to need you to do something for me. Think you can do that?" Frankie continued.

"FRANKIE!" Miranda's voice shouted as loud as she could, her head clearing up enough for her to recognize that voice. She struggled against her mother's hold, wanting to run to the agent. "FRANKIE!"

"Hey, kiddo." Frankie couldn't help the tiny smile at the girl's voice. "Listen, I'm going to need you and your mom to walk very slowly towards me, ok?"

"No one is going anywhere!" Reese ordered. "Now, how the hell did you get in here? Especially looking like that."

Frankie shrugged with the shoulder holding the gun, "You know, these parties you guys go to are so easy to sneak into. You really should look into that."

Bianca finally took a moment to really look at the agent. The woman was dressed in an oversized dark sweatshirt, one arm raised, holding the gun, while the other hung limply at her side. She had light blue scrub pants on and a baseball cap pulled low over her eyes. She looked...like some homeless person off the street...or someone who snuck out of a hospital.

"Bianca, I need you to come over here." Frankie called out.

Bianca slowly stood, lifting Miranda into her arms. Her head was pounding, but she fought it off and took a step toward the agent.

"Don't move! I'll shoot you." Reese said.

"I'll kill you before you even pull the trigger." Frankie stared evenly at the blonde. "I've killed people before, have you? Because the OK Corral, Wyatt Earp thing...not how it really is."

Bianca took another step.

"Bianca, so help me, stay right where you are!" Reese shouted.

"Bianca, it's ok. Just keep your eyes on me, babe." Frankie beckoned.

Swallowing roughly, Bianca nodded. She slowly took another step and another. Soon, she was beside the agent. A sigh of relief broke past her lips and she felt an overwhelming urge to hug the woman.

"Frankie." Miranda reached out to the agent, wanting to touch her.

"Stand behind me." Frankie ordered, sparing a glance at the child.

Bianca did as she was told, holding Miranda tight.

"You think you can save them? This is so much bigger than you can possibly imagine." Reese pointed the gun at Frankie.

"Yeah? You wanna tell me about it?" Frankie's eyes widened comically.

"Get the hell out of the way. I'll kill you, too."

Frankie frowned, "I'll kill you before you even get the chance to touch them again. You hurt them, and I'm not one to really turn the other cheek. I skipped Ghandi day at school."

Reese studied her for a minute. A smile broke out across her face. "You're going to shoot me?"

"If I have to." Frankie swallowed hard. The gun began to tremble, her body shaking.

"You can't shoot me. Hell, you can barely stand. Bet those bullets did some damage, didn't they? Messed you up." Reese taunted.

"I can shoot you laying down if I have to." Frankie responded, her jaw clenched tight.

Standing behind the woman, Bianca felt worry fill her. She scanned the agent. Her body was shaking harder and harder with each passing second. A fine sheen of sweat had broken out across her face and neck. The younger woman's eyes ticked down to the limp arm. She followed the dark material of the shirt down to the shivering hand. At the edge of the cuff, lines of blood trickled down, trailing across the pale hand.

Frankie was pale.

Frankie was shaking.

Frankie was bleeding.

Frankie was hurting.

Bianca closed her eyes for a moment. She swallowed back the lump of fear in her throat. Oh god, Frankie was still hurt. She came to save them. She was in so much pain because of her.

"Baby." broke out, that one word filled with so much worry, guilt, and love, that even Reese looked at her.

"I'm fine, Bianca." Frankie tried to reassure her.

"Frankie hurt?" Miranda's tiny voice joined in.

"Nah, I'm cool kid. Aces." Frankie attempted to speak lightly, but her shaking only got worse.

"Yes, Miranda. Frankie's hurt. She's going to die, actually." Reese smirked at the child.

"Oh, don't you know Reese? I'm already dead. Got the tombstone and everything. Wasn't it on the tour of the top ten coolest places to visit in Pine Valley?" Frankie let out a mock gasp, "No? I'm shocked. I'll have to write them an angry letter."

"You have a damn smart mouth for someone who's dying." Reese narrowed her eyes.

"Me? Smart? I don't know, I tend to be who I am all the time. For example, I don't think I could pretend to be the best wife in the world while planning to kill my family. Course, I wouldn't be dumb enough to get caught either."

"You don't know anything."

"Everyone keeps telling me that. Funny thing? For someone who doesn't know anything, I sure as hell caught you pretty easy."

As Reese opened her mouth to speak, Frankie stumbled back a step before catching herself. Bianca quickly set Miranda down and shoved the girl behind her, putting her hands up to catch the agent if she stumbled back any further. Worried eyes watched as the agent righted herself, pain clear on her face as her eyes blinked rapidly. Blood was now dripping from her fingertips, staining the floor.

"How you feeling there? Need a break?" Reese laughed.

"Frankie, give me the gun. You're hurt." Bianca begged.

Frankie shook her head, "I'm fine. Stay behind me."

"Franks...baby, please. You need a doctor." Bianca whispered, her voice breaking, "I love you, and I'm not going to watch you kill yourself. Not now, and especially not in front of my daughter."

"Bianca, I got this."

"Frankie, stop being such a stubborn jerk. You don't have to play hero."

Frankie rolled her eyes, "I'm doing my job, Bianca. Can we argue later, please? I promise to even let you win."

"Will you two shut up? This has gone on too long." Reese aimed the gun.

"FBI! DROP THE WEAPON, AND PUT YOUR HANDS ABOVE YOUR HEAD!

The door slammed against the wall as agents swarmed the room. Reese instantly panicked, the gun slipping from her grasp as dozens of guns pointed at her.

"About damn time." Frankie ground out as she lowered her weapon.

Taking a deep breath, she stumbled back, her body finally giving out under the intense exertion. She fell backwards, warm arms wrapping around her shivering body and lowering her in a comforting embrace.

Blinking, the agent felt herself being laid out, her upper body and head resting against another. She gazed up into watery brown eyes, the love behind them causing a small grin to form. "Hey."

"Hey." Bianca whispered back.

"You caught me."

"I'll always catch you."

"That's...so corny." Frankie rolled her eyes, drawing a laugh from the younger woman.

Bianca bent forward, her mouth resting against Frankie's ear, "You should feel lucky. We both know you're the one always chasing after and trying to catch me."

"Ain't that the truth." Frankie felt soft lips press against her cheek and then her temple.

"Frankie!" Miranda scrambled on her hands and knees over to the pair. Her wide eyes took in the prone form.

"Kid, what kind of trouble you been gettin' into?" Frankie winked at her and held out her good arm. "Come're."

Without hesitation, Miranda jumped into Frankie's arm, a loud oomph reverberating from the agent's chest. She pulled back quickly, "I'm sorry."

"It's ok." Frankie tugged her back down, "It's ok."

Miranda burrowed against the brunette, her hands clenching onto dark fabric, "I missed you. I wanted you to come back so much. I wished, and I wished. I love you."

Frankie felt herself choking up, "I love you too, Miranda."

Bianca felt a tear roll down her face at the sight. She tenderly squeezed the woman in her arms and kissed her temple, "We both love you."

"Uh, Mrs. Williams." Jones cautiously approached the family, Gabrielle in his arms.

"Jones, what took you guys so long?" Frankie looked up at the young man.

"Sorry, Agent Stone. After I helped you, I had trouble finding Director Michaels. There were a lot of drunk people downstairs." he lowered the infant into Bianca's hands.

"Eh, at least you finally got here. Good job. Looks like I won't be sending you to Iowa." Frankie rubbed Miranda's back and peered down at the now awake and curious baby.

"Thank you, Agent Stone." Jones straightened up proudly.

"Jones! Get your ass over there and help them bag Williams' gun!" Luke ordered as he stepped up next to the rookie.

"Yes, sir." Jones almost saluted before tripping towards the gaggle of agents.

Luke watched him leave before looking down at the family, "Agent Stone, you defied orders and nearly got yourself killed."

Frankie met his hard stare with a smirk, "I was never one for orders, Michaels. You know that."

Luke glared at her for a few seconds. Then, the corners of his lips turned up, "Good work, Agent Stone. I suggest you see a medic for your injuries, which you most surely have re-aggravated."

"Aww, no hug?"

"I have to figure out how to get your ass out of this sling."

"Not even a little one? You're breaking my heart, Luke."

Luke glanced at Bianca, "Get yourself to a medic before your girlfriend starts hassling me again."

"You hassling my boss?" Frankie adjusted so Miranda fit more comfortably against her, a grimace of pain sprouting up.

"Only because he's a jerk." Bianca pressed her lips to the back of the agent's neck, holding them there for a minute. She felt the woman relax, the pain flowing away. They both needed this, this reassurance. They were both alive.

"He's always a jerk." Frankie whimpered, her eyes closing at the touch.

Reluctantly, Bianca tore her mouth away from the quivering skin, "I love you so much."

"Love you, too."

"We should get you to a doctor. How do you feel?"

Frankie lifted her eyes, a frown coming to her face at what she spotted. Maggie and Ally were a few yards away, holding hands as they surveyed the room.

"I need a fucking cigarette."


	46. Epilogue

Alright folks, this is it. Hope you've enjoyed the ride. Let me know what you've thought of So Close. Pretty Please!

* * *

The entire place smelled of disinfectant, causing Miranda to wrinkle her nose in disgust. It smelled worse than when she had to go with Erica to the hair place. And there they sprayed stuff that made her gag!

Pinching her nose lightly to ward off the horrible smell, the little girl walked down the busy hallway, weaving between flapping white coats and squeaking shoes. She was on a mission. Nothing was going to stop her from reaching her goal.

She picked up speed, dodging past a startled wheelchair and almost causing a surprised nurse to clobber her with a clipboard. Miranda ignored them all, only pinching her nose tighter as she passed by an older patient walking with the help of another nurse.

As she got closer and closer to her intended destination, her heartbeat picked up and she felt excitement wash over her. She couldn't stop the smile from stretching her mouth as wide as it would go, and her brown eyes gleamed with delight.

Finally, after surviving the never ending white hallway, she spotted it. Room 1105. Her destination. This is where her mission truly began.

Stepping up to the closed door, her heart rate increased with each footfall. Tiny sparks of fear and anxiety started to mix in with the excitement. What if this was the wrong place? What if it was empty? It happened before. She didn't want that to happen again. But, everyone said this was the right room. Her mommy had promised.

She raised a tiny hand, the fingers shaking as she reached up. A deep breath, then another, filled her lungs, a funny noise squirting out from her pinched nose. She squeezed her eyes shut as her hand came into contact with the door. She had to be brave. Her mommy said she was the bravest girl in the whole wide world. Brave little girls could open doors and not be scared.

Taking one last fortifying breath, she pushed with all her might, causing the door to swing open. With her eyes still closed, Miranda tripped into the room. Her hand waved around, automatically feeling for any obstacles in her path. Touching nothing but dry air, she let her hand drop to her side.

This was it. She had to look. Brave little girls would look. It would be ok. Her mommy promised. Battling against the fear inside, she slowly opened one eye, blurry forms becoming more exposed with each passing second.

Miranda balled up a fist and rubbed at her eye as the other one carefully opened. Working away the blurriness, she peered across the small room. In the middle of the space was a small table, a book and paper cup resting on its worn surface. Next to the table was the bed.

It wasn't empty.

A grin bigger than the moon broke out across Miranda's face as a happy giggle escaped. All fear and anxiety fled as she rushed up to the bed. Her feet slapped loudly against the linoleum, and her free arm swung wildly.

She was there. Just like mommy promised.

Skidding to a stop next to the bed, Miranda gazed up at the sheet covered lump. She held her breath, a short finger slipping across coarse bedding to poke at the unmoving form.

She waited.

Nothing happened.

Narrowing her eyes, she poked again, harder this time. She gasped and quickly pulled her finger back as the pile twitched, a low mumbling sounding from within. After a few moments, it settled, reverting back to the unmoving mass of stiff sheets.

Grinning, Miranda lifted her arm, her finger, once again, unfurling to poke the lump. As her finger nearly touched the sheets, a hand darted out from underneath and grasped her arm, easily jerking and pulling her onto the bed.

A shriek called out as Miranda bounced onto the bed, her tiny body landing softly on top of the pile. Her eyes widened as the sheets slid down to reveal messy brown hair and sleepy brown eyes. She giggled as an eyebrow rose.

"Kid, wha' are you doin' here? And why are ya holdin' your nose?"

Miranda, having forgotten she was indeed still pinching her nose, let her fingers drop, "'Cause it smells."

"It smells." dryly intoned Frankie, mirth replacing the sleep in her gaze.

"Yep." Miranda nodded.

"Huh. Well, what are we gonna do about that? Can't have you going around holding your nose all the time. Isn't very ladylike." Frankie pushed against the bed with her good arm, positioning herself in a sitting position with her back resting against the back of the bed.

Miranda followed her, crawling until she was curled warmly against Frankie's side, her head cradled against the uninjured shoulder. "We're leaving, silly."

"We are, are we? And where are we going? I must say, though, I am glad to see you already planning escapes. I see a bright future for you, kid. What do we need? Rope? A distraction? Try the fire alarm."

"We're going home." Miranda cuddled further into the agent, absently pulling the woman's arm around her in a hug.

"Home?"

"Home." Miranda gave one firm nod.

Frankie was quiet for a few seconds, trying to take this in, "Home." Home, if you could call it that, was her small place back in Washington. But, for some reason, she had a feeling that wasn't what the little girl was talking about.

"Frankie?"

"Yeah, kid."

Miranda began to play with the agent's fingers, her voice coming out just above a whisper, "I was scared."

Frankie looked down at her, concern in her eyes, "Why?"

Miranda burrowed further into the embrace, "I was scared you wouldn't be here. Mommy said you would, but you weren't last time, and I looked and looked for you. I did. But, you weren't there, and I couldn't see you."

Frankie's eyes softened, and she gave the child a light squeeze, "I bet that was very scary. But you know what?"

Miranda shook her head.

"You don't have to worry about that. I'll always be there for you. You got that? Even if I'm not where you can see me, I'll still be there for you. So, don't worry. Alright?"

Miranda nodded, "Alright."

Bianca bit her lip, tears pricking her eyes at what she was witnessing. She stood in the empty doorway, gently rocking Gabrielle in her stroller, and watched Miranda and Frankie interact. She had decided to let Miranda have some time with the other woman, staying a few steps back the entire time. Her daughter hadn't seen the agent since the scene at the party when...when her wife had tried to kill them.

That was all over now. Reese had been arrested, and so far it had been kept out of the papers. Her family was safe, and Frankie was recovering quite nicely from her injuries. That's why they were there. Frankie was being released, and Bianca was going to make sure she went home with them. Bianca could look after her there, and she wouldn't take no for an answer, no matter how stubborn the Stone girl tried to be.

Pushing away her thoughts, Bianca focused back on her two loves. A roguish grin greeted her.

"I'm sorry, miss. Is there a reason you're standing out there?"

Bianca rolled her eyes at the joking tone and walked into the room.

"Whoa, whoa, hold up there. I don't think we've met. You can't just go barging into people's rooms, ya know." Frankie playfully held up a hand to stop her.

"We haven't met?" Bianca's eyebrow ticked up.

Frankie peeked at Miranda, "We don't know this person, do we?"

Miranda shook her head, giggling.

"Nope, sorry lady." Frankie returned her gaze to the approaching brunette.

"Are you sure?" Bianca stepped closer, the corners of her lips twitching.

Frankie looked her over, appreciative brown orbs painstakingly taking in every inch of the younger woman, "I think I'd remember meeting someone as...lovely as you."

"Oh? That's too bad." Bianca reached the edge of the bed.

"Doesn't have to stay that way." a lazy smirk took over. "I would love to meet you."

Bianca sat down on the edge of the bed and leaned down, her lips getting dangerously close to the agent's, "You would, would you?"

Frankie licked her lips, "Yes, ma'am."

Bianca inched closer, her breath a gentle caress as her lips stopped millimeters from the other woman's, "I would love to meet you too."

Frankie's eyes were glazed over, "Aces."

Smirking, Bianca tilted her head, her mouth coming to rest near the agent's ear, "Too bad you don't know me. I don't kiss strangers."

Frankie's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. Bianca pulled back, laughing at the incredulous look. "What? Come on."

Bianca turned to look at her daughter, "You sure you don't know me? Only little girls who know me get McDonald's for dinner."

"Mommy!" Miranda immediately popped up, "'Course I know you, silly."

Frankie, finally able to tear her gaze away from Bianca, looked down at Miranda, "What? You...traitor. How...why?" She looked back at Bianca, "Not cool."

Bianca grinned cheekily at her, "I'm sorry, do I know you?"

Oh, hell no. She was not going to win at this game. Frankie plastered a smirk on her face, "Only a little. I know a way we can get better...acquainted."

"Oh, and how would that be?" Bianca made a pointed glance at a listening Miranda.

Catching the look, Frankie lazily tilted her head, "Why don't you come here, and I'll tell you?"

With a curious glint in her eyes, Bianca leaned forward. As she got close, Frankie tiredly lifted her free arm, tenderly cupping the back of the brunette's head. She moved so they were cheek to cheek, Frankie's face hidden from Miranda.

"God, I missed you." Frankie whispered lowly, "I've been so damn worried. Are you ok? Your head?"

"I'm fine. A few stitches. Nothing for us Pine Valley folk." Bianca assured her.

"You're sure? Miranda? She looks ok, but..."

"We're all ok, baby. We all missed you. More than words can say." Bianca felt fingers gently probe the back of her head, lovingly tracing where she had been cut by the gun. A relieved sigh sounded in her ear as the fingers found only a healed wound.

Frankie pulled back, moving so their foreheads touched, noses tapping carefully against each other. A teasing smirk transformed her lips, "So, how about that kiss, Ms. Montgomery?"

Bianca marveled for a moment at how quickly the other woman had hidden the worry and concern that had coated her words not two seconds ago. She, then, playfully rubbed their noses together, eliciting a chuckle from the agent.

"Jus' kiss her, Mommy." Miranda ordered with a huff.

The adults both twisted to look at the child, her arms crossed with an expectant look on her face.

"Well," Frankie grinned at Bianca, "don't want to disappoint your child, do ya?"

"Never." Bianca mumbled pressing her lips against the agent's.

Miranda watched them gently kiss, happiness filling her at the sight. Married people kissed, and they were kissing, again. So, they would get married!

After a minute, the little girl got bored. She scrambled to her knees and pushed first against her mommy and then against Frankie, "Ok, ok. That's enough. We gots stuff to talk about."

Bianca broke the kiss, gifting her daughter with raised eyebrows. Frankie couldn't help but laugh, "Wow, you sure your last name is Montgomery and not Kane? You got the ordering part down."

Bianca looked over at Frankie, "Don't even start."

Frankie shrugged, "Just saying, that move would make Erica proud."

Before her mother could reply, Miranda tugged on both of them, "We hafta talk."

"What's wrong, honey?" Bianca asked.

Miranda flung her arms in the air, "Christmas!"

A look of understanding crossed Bianca's features. Frankie...not so much.

"What?"

"Christmas." Miranda repeated. She moved so she sat facing the agent, her legs crossed 'indian' style. "We hafta get a tree, and presents, and go visit Father Christmas."

Frankie wasn't following, "Ok. That's great, kid. I'm sure you and your mom will have a blast."

Miranda gave her a frustrated glare, "You're coming, too."

"What?"

"You're spending Christmas with us."

Frankie gave her an uncomprehending look. What was going on?

Sensing the confusion in the woman, Bianca brought a hand up to the back of Frankie's neck, gently massaging the tight muscles, "Frankie, we would love it if you spent Christmas with us."

Frankie blinked. Then, she blinked again. She licked her lips, hooded eyes narrowing in thought, "You...want me to spend Christmas...with you."

Miranda nodded enthusiastically, "We're family! Family spends Christmas together."

Frankie swallowed thickly, her head lowering. "I-I...what?"

Bianca scooted nearer to the agent, looping her arm though the woman's while still massaging her neck comfortingly, "It's close to the holidays, and all of us want you to spend them with us. Miranda, Gabrielle, and I all want you with us. Think you would want that, too?"

Frankie tried to form words, "Are...are you sure? I don't...really celebrate...anything. I wouldn't know..."

"Shh, none of that matters. We want you with us. We love you, and want you to be with us. Do you...do you think you can do that? Is that ok?"

Frankie peered up at her, and Bianca was met with one of the most intense stares she had ever been privy to. The other woman was overwhelmed. There was no denying that. But, there was a sense of wanting in the gaze. An emotional mixture of desire, love, gratefulness, and fear. Frankie wanted this. She wanted to be with them. She wanted to spend Christmas with them. But...there was something holding her back. Something was making her afraid of this offer. If Bianca had to guess, she would pin it on the past. From what she had learned over the years, the Stones didn't celebrate anything. The twins never celebrated their birthday. They never celebrated anything. Just like Frankie had said.

Frankie was afraid of messing it up.

She was afraid that Bianca didn't really want her there. She was afraid of the unknown, and Christmas was unknown to her.

With a soft gentle smile, Bianca leaned into the agent and kissed her. As their lips touched, she tried to put as much love and assurance in the caress as she could. Their lips tenderly moved against each other, Frankie waking up with the loving embrace.

Pulling apart, Bianca gazed into warm brown eyes, "Is it ok?"

Frankie looked at Miranda, then Gabrielle, her eyes finally landing on Bianca. A tiny smirk appeared and she shrugged, "Yeah...sure. Sounds like fun."

Miranda cheered, and Frankie shot out a hand, tickling the child's belly. The girl doubled over, fighting against the onslaught. Bianca watched, happy with her daughter's delight. She caught Frankie's eye, and the agent's face softened, a wink sent in the younger woman's direction.

It was a start. Frankie might be trying to downplay her reaction, but Bianca knew it meant a lot to the woman. After everything that happened, they all deserved a happy holiday. Maybe, she and Frankie could even work on their relationship.

A knock on the door and the clearing of a throat caught everyone's attention. Bianca turned to see Maggie and Ally standing just inside the door. Maggie was dressed in scrubs and a white lab coat, a clipboard in hand. Ally lingered beside her, holding the doctor's other hand. Maggie had an unreadable look on her face as she watched the small family.

Bianca felt Frankie stiffen next to her. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw the agent's hand drop away from Miranda. She straightened, cool eyes taking in the newcomers. It was like the last time they had seen each other.

"_I need a fucking cigarette." _

_Bianca heard Frankie's request, and she automatically opened her mouth to refuse. Frankie really needed to stop smoking. However, before she could speak, she felt the agent go rigid, her eyes firmly staring forward. The Cambias CEO looked up to see Maggie and Ally, the two spotting them. The couple slowly made their way over, concern clearly on the women's faces._

"_Oh my god...Frankie." Maggie breathed out, her eyes taking in her wide awake twin for the first time in years._

_Frankie curled a hand into a fist, biting the inside of her cheek. She forced her body to sit up, fighting against the pain, "We should go. Bianca, you and Miranda need to get checked out."_

"_Frankie? What?" Bianca worriedly moved with the agent, supporting her._

"_You shouldn't move." Maggie ordered._

"_I'm fine." Frankie grimaced._

_Maggie rolled her eyes, "Yeah, that's why you're bleeding and clearly in pain. God, you don't change, do you?"_

"_Whatever." Frankie grit her teeth._

"_Can you even listen to someone for one minute?" Maggie put her hands on her hips. Frankie was so...Frankie! Still that punk kid who wouldn't listen to reason._

"_Fu...shut up." Frankie caught herself, mindful of little ears nearby. _

"_Don't move. Will you for once listen to someone who knows best?"_

_Frankie rolled her eyes, "Yeah, you'd like it if I stayed down here. Always have to look up to you, right?" Maggie was so...Maggie! Still thought she was the one Frankie had to be like, the better one._

_Maggie glared at her, "Don't even try that. You were the one who chose the gutter. I tried to help you."_

_Frankie shook her head, "I'm not doing this."_

_A humorless chuckle, "Yeah, do what you always do, Frankie. Run away. Go away, and I'll clean up your mess. Just like old times, right? You do something stupid; I clean it up."_

_Frankie's breaths were coming in shallower, forcing her to pant, "I am not doing this now."_

"_Do you know what you put us through? All this time we thought you were dead. You're such a coward." Maggie was getting worked up._

"_Save the lecture, Doctor Stone." Frankie sneered. "I've heard it all before, I assure you. Everyday for years. I'm sure it hasn't changed much." _

"_No, you're going to listen to what I have to say." Maggie pointed a finger at the agent._

"_Jones!" Frankie shouted. She blinked rapidly, starting to feel dizzy. _

_Feeling the woman sway in her arms, Bianca tightened her hold, "Frankie? Baby?"_

_Jones quickly appeared, glancing warily between the twins, "Agent Stone?" _

"_Get...get Ms. Montgomery and the kids checked out by a medic." Frankie fought for air._

"_Frankie?" Maggie noticed the labored breathing._

_Ally griped Maggie's hand, eyes snapping up as Michaels walked up. "What the hell is going on here?"_

"_Nothing, boss. Just need to get to a medic." Frankie answered, Bianca trying help relax her breathing._

_Luke glared at all of them, "Then get to it."_

Frankie had the same cool unimpressed look in her eyes. She coldly watched as Maggie moved towards them. Maggie lifted the clipboard, rereading the paperwork, "You're being released today. Your doctor feels you have shown enough improvement to warrant a release."

Frankie didn't react to the even tone. "Huh. Lucky me."

"You need to sign this."

Frankie stared at the clipboard for a minute before taking it, "Sure. Always love to sign things."

Maggie rolled her eyes, a frustrated breath leaving her. "There's also a list of things you need to do to aid in your recovery."

"Great."

Maggie pursed her lips. She stared hard at the other Stone, "We need to talk."

"No we don't." Frankie finished signing the papers.

"You owe me an explanation."

"I don't owe you anything. We haven't talked for years, even before what happened to me. Why would we start now?"

"You're selfish, you know that?" Maggie shook a finger at her, "I mourned you, and you were living the high life."

"I never asked you to. You didn't care before that happened, why care now?"

"I cared! You know I cared. I took care of you."

Frankie snorted, "Yeah, you sure did. What? Were you unhappy you couldn't keep using me these past eight years? Didn't have the delinquent to prop you up, make you look better?"

"I never saw you that way."

"The hell you didn't! That's the only way you saw me. I was a good for nothing fu...ahh." Frankie forced herself not to swear. Agitated, she ran a hand through her hair, "Tell me, Maggie. If you cared so much, how long did it take you to come looking for me? What did you do? How did you talk about me? How long till you..." she trailed off, not wanting to go there. Not now, not ever. Hearing Bianca and Maggie confess their love to each other once was more than enough for a lifetime.

Miranda watched the sisters, not really understanding what was happening. But, Frankie wasn't happy. Neither was Maggie. They had really mean looks on their faces.

"I think that's enough." Bianca looked at Ally for help.

"You selfish son of a..." Maggie shook off Ally's pressuring touch, "This isn't all about you. Do you even understand what your stupid stunt did? How much you hurt people? Do you even care what you put us all through? What you put Bianca through? The woman you supposedly love? What did you do to her, Frankie?"

Frankie spoke lowly, her words concise, "What did you do to her, Maggie?"

"That is definitely enough." Bianca stood up, positioning herself in front of Frankie.

"Yeah, you guys don't want to fight, especially now." Ally griped Maggie's arm, tugging her toward the door.

"We'll talk later about Miranda." Bianca aimed at Maggie, reaching a calming hand back to rest on Frankie's shoulder.

"I'll call you." Maggie spoke loudly before she was pulled out of the room.

Once the coast was clear, Bianca spun to look at the agent. "You want to tell me what that was?"

"I don't want to talk about it." Frankie fiddled with the clipboard.

"Frankie?" Miranda placed a tiny hand on Frankie's back.

Pushing down her emotions, Frankie turned to look at the girl, a smile on her face, "You ready to get out of here, kiddo?"

Miranda pushed up and wrapped her arms around Frankie's neck in a hug. She held the woman for a few moments, then let go. "Yep."

Bianca watched the agent, worried. Sensing this, Frankie grasped her hand and blindly brought it to her mouth, pressing a quick kiss to the back of it.

"Agent Stone?" Jones voice called softly from the door.

The family turned to look at the rookie. Her nervously waved at them before pushing a wheelchair into the room, "The doctor said you need to leave in one of these."

"Agent Jones, you've been promoted to my personal chauffeur? How touching." Frankie gave him a questioning look.

"Well...ah..."

"Does he want to see me?"

"Yes, ma'am." Jones answered.

"Who?" Bianca looked between the two agents.

"Luke."

* * *

Frankie entered the room, some unknown agent at her side. Jones was staying with Bianca and the children until Frankie returned, as a favor to the lead agent. The short brunette spotted Luke talking fiercely with another man in the corner, his face turning red with anger. She waited, listening in to the conversation, catching snippets of dialogue.

"This is our case, they can't do this, damn it!" Luke blustered.

"They had priority. It is their country."

"This is an international case, and we're the damn United States! Who cares about France?" Luke shook his head in disgust, "I can't believe it."

The other man only offered a shrug and walked away. Seeing the opening, Frankie ambled over to the director, hands in her sweatshirt pockets. Upon her release, she had been presented with her own clothing. Thank god, because she hated hospital gowns. The worn jeans, t-shirt, and sweatshirt felt amazing compared to what she had been forced to wear lately.

"Problems?" she asked casually.

Luke turned to her, "Like you wouldn't believe. How's the shoulder?"

Frankie shrugged, "I'll live."

"And the rest?"

"Still gonna live. I should try out for a reality show – 'The Woman Who Cannot Die'."

"That smartass sense of humor isn't always appreciated." Luke clenched his jaw.

"Don't get sentimental on me. I might think you care." Frankie smirked.

"Any other problems? How's the sister?"

The smirk fell for a millisecond, "Same as always. There's a reason we haven't seen each other in years."

"Yeah?"

"Wouldn't mind keeping it that way, but I'm karma's bitch it seems."

Luke chuckled, "You don't even know the half of it."

"What's goin' on?"

Luke rubbed at his face, "Carrington walked. Says he was just trying to build a house, and his fancy lawyer is helping with that story. Since we went in so early, we weren't able to get the connection we wanted between him and Williams. We don't have enough to keep him."

"Damn it." Frankie breathed.

"That's not even the worst part. We might lose Williams."

"What? How? She had a damn gun pointed at my head." Frankie made a shooting gesture.

"France wants her. She's a person of interest in their missing person case,"

"That the keystone cops couldn't solve." Frankie injected.

"so now they want her. It's their country, they get her if they want her."

"She hasn't been sent back to the States, yet?" Frankie asked.

"No. We've been arguing over this since she was put in handcuffs."

"So, what's the plan?"

Luke stared hard at her, "Reese won't talk. We are going to lose her any minute. I want information."

"You want me to try." Frankie followed.

Luke shook his head, "I don't know what else to do. She might talk to you, since you caught her and all."

"Sure, fine. Whatever. I'll get her to talk." Frankie thought about how the blonde had hit Bianca. Oh, she'd get her to talk.

"Junior, don't even think like that." Luke interrupted her musings. "There's no emotion in interrogations. You know this. I don't want another repeat performance from Halloween. I heard about that, and that was damn stupid. It's a job, nothing more. Nothing from outside is brought in. Do you understand me?"

Frankie nodded, "Yeah, I understand."

Luke studied her for a moment, "Good."

He led her over to the side of the room and opened a door. It led into a smaller room, one wall covered by a long pane of glass – the two way mirror. Frankie looked at Reese, sitting idly in a chair in front of a plain metal table. She absently nodded at two agents who were standing there on her way to the door. One of them handed her a file. Luke held his breath, hoping this was a wise decision, as she entered the room.

The door shut behind her, the noise echoing inside the miniscule room. Reese glanced up with a bored expression.

"Hello, Mrs. Williams." Frankie opened the file, leafing through the pages, "You having a fun day?"

Reese rolled her eyes.

"Not talking? Aww, that's such a shame, because I came here to talk with you. Doesn't that make you happy?" Frankie walked over to the table. She tossed the file onto the metal surface and plopped down into the empty chair.

Reese kept quiet.

"You know Reese, it would help you a lot if you talked to us. Besides missing that less than stellar voice of yours, we cannot help you. You don't talk, we don't help. We don't help, you get in a lot more trouble than I think you want to."

Reese stared at the table.

"Alright, that's fine. Don't talk. Just remember, you were the one with a gun pointed at a federal agent. You wanted to kill me. That's going to give you a long time in jail. Tack on what you did to that family...you won't be seeing daylight for a long long time."

Reese ignored her.

Frankie leaned forward, "The Goldsteins don't give a fuck about you, either. They're going to throw you to the wolves. The moment you get out of here, they might even try to kill you to keep you quiet. If you help us, we can protect you. But, I'm not doing a damn thing for you if you don't talk."

"How was she?" Reese spoke so quietly Frankie almost missed it.

"What?"

"My wife," Reese looked up at Frankie, "how was she when you fucked her?"

Frankie's jaw ticked, "Are you going to talk about the Goldsteins? How about Andrew Carrington? We know he was meeting with you."

"Did she cry out? Scream your name? Beg for more?"

"Andrew Carrington was at the same party we captured you at. We caught him to. Bet he's singing like a bird about how this was all your plan. Should I listen to him?" Frankie's fingers twitched.

"Was it rough or gentle? She can be wild when she wants to be. Other times, she'll be tame as a kitten. When it thunders, though. Oh, she's different then. Must be those memories of her rape."

Frankie leaned back in her chair, a fist brought up to her mouth. She looked away for a minute, staring at the mirror, "You trying to make me angry? Get a rise out of me?" She turned frosty eyes back on the blonde, "That might not be the best plan. You know why?"

Reese only smirked at the agent.

"I have a temper." Frankie went on, "I do. I have a nasty temper. Most of the time, I can keep it in." She stood up, slowly walking around the table, "Most of the time, I have it under control. But, it's still there. It's still waiting."

Rounding the corner of the table, she placed one hand on the cold surface, the other casually resting on the back of Reese's chair, effectively blocking her in. "Got that from my dad, the temper. He was a mean son of a bitch. Horrible temper. You didn't want to make him mad."

She leaned in, lowering her voice, "He would be alright, but when he lost his temper..." a long whistle echoed, "man, you didn't want to be around for that. He damn near killed me a couple times. Beat the living hell out of anyone in sight."

She leaned even closer, her face inches from Reese's, "You want to make me mad? Make me lose my temper? Because I know what you did. I know. That...that's not something you want me knowing. It doesn't make me happy."

She pulled back, dropping her hands to her side and walking back to her chair.

"Are you threatening me, Agent?" Reese asked.

Frankie sat back down, stretching out her legs and crossing them at the ankle, "Me? No, not at all. I was just telling you about my family. Trading stories, if you would. You know, I'd like to know about you and your family. They disowned you, didn't they? After your marriage to Bianca. Why go through that if you didn't love her?"

Reese stared at her, "My family?"

"Yeah, your mom hates you now. Your dad doesn't care enough to fight against her. You gave it all up: your family, their fortune, a man you were engaged to. Why? You didn't need any money. You weren't in trouble, as far as we know. Were you in trouble, Reese? Get in some hot water with some unsavory people?"

"If you're so smart, why don't you tell me?"

"And ruin the surprise?" Frankie put her hands behind her head and leaned back, "We can help you, Reese. Just tell me the story. We'll protect you from the Goldsteins, who are more than likely planning your murder as we speak. You help us catch Carrington, and you won't die by a gunshot to the head or a knife to the stomach. Gotta tell you, getting shot hurts."

"You can't help me."

Frankie sighed, "We can. All you gotta do is talk. Hell, even just tell me about those letters and that dude's eyeball. Why would you do that? That's really gross, actually."

Reese shook her head, "That's not what you want to know. You want to know about Bianca. You want to know why she married me. You want to know why my wife married me and not you."

Frankie eased forward, her body protesting against all the recent movement. Her hands fell to the table, fingertips tapping against the surface, "If you want to talk about Ms. Montgomery, I am more than happy to listen. You want to tell me why you married her? Why you tried to kill her?"

"She never talked about you. Never mentioned you. How does that make you feel?"

"Are you going to give me any useful information, Mrs. Williams, or are you just going to babble on about shit no one cares about?"

"Do you think she was thinking about me when you fucked her? Were you thinking about how, when she left you, she went home to me?"

Frankie slammed her hand down on the table, the sudden noise causing Reese to jump. Frankie stood up, "If you're not going to help us, I'm not going to help you. You're only hurting yourself, Reese. We'll catch them, no matter what. But you...you're going to die in prison."

Frankie picked up the file and turned her back to the blonde, marching towards the door. As the door opened, Reese's voice called out.

"The Goldsteins always get what they want, always."


End file.
